Amaechi, Wike in battle of wits after Jonathan’s visit

Barely 48 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan left Rivers State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders (led by Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike) are locked in a battle of wits on who won the President’s confidence.

The Amaechi camp is claiming victory for reuniting with Jonathan. Wike’s group said the President did not shun it as being widely circulated.

The Wike-led PDP stakeholders alleged that the President exchanged pleasantries with the minister before embracing Amaechi.

But fresh facts emerged yesterday that President Jonathan told Governor Rotimi Amaechi to ignore members of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came to the Port Harcourt International Airport on Saturday to bid him farewell.

Jonathan, it was learnt also, appeared to have sold a dummy to Amaechi because some members of his kitchen cabinet and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, have been implicated in the campaign against the governor.

According to a source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, the President was more at home with Amaechi than Wike who has been bankrolling the PDP faction in Rivers State.

The source, who was at the airport, said: “When President Jonathan arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport in a presidential helicopter at about mid-day en route to Abuja from Bayelsa, he embraced Amaechi and members of the Rivers State Exco. He shunned the factional PDP opposition group in the state, led by Wike.

“This made Wike and his group confused and dumbfounded.

“When President Jonathan alighted from the chopper, after shaking hands with Amaechi, the MD of NDDC, Dr. Chris Oboh and a couple of others, he ignored the roll of Wike’s loyalists who stood close to the helicopter.

“When told who they (Wike’s loyalists) were, the President avoided them but moved to the line where Amaechi’s exco members were waiting to greet him.

“The President and Amaechi could be seen talking to each other with Amaechi pointing in the direction of his state exco. Wike, who was also at the airport, was seen frantically trailing behind them.”

Asked what the President told Amaechi, the source added: “When President Jonathan was shown the line by Wike supporters, he reportedly told Amaechi not to worry about ‘this thing because it doesn’t really matter’.

Jonathan added: “Ignore them; I have seen this kind of thing several times. Ignore them, please.”

“After President Jonathan boarded his presidential Jet, Wike and members of his group looked perplexed, forlorn and dejected. Wike had mobilised people to the airport.

“One of them was heard saying: “It’s like we have lost out . Why have they been lying to us that Mr. President is with us, that Jonathan will support us to chase Amaechi from the State? This has shown clearly that they have been lying to us. I will have to go back to Amaechi.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “Now, the rejection by Mr. President has thrown Wike’s camp into disarray. They have been holding meetings to try and calm their people down.”

But a source in Wike’s camp, who confided in our correspondent, said: “As a matter of fact, when the President arrived at the airport, he exchanged pleasantries with the Minister before moving over to Amaechi and his exco members. The minister was closer to the aircraft than the governor. So, the minister was the first port of pleasantries.

“Jonathan did not shun Wike who mobilised PDP stakeholders to the airport for a rousing reception for the President. There was no way the President would shun a member of his cabinet for Amaechi.

“The President also greeted PDP members at the airport; he did not isolate any group for the other. It was evident that they deliberately took the President’s and Amaechi’s photograph for mischief in the media.

“What they have done was to dish out a tissue of lies to deceive the media. We will release an official statement on Monday to let the public know what really happened.”

Asked of Wike’s photograph with the President, the top aide added: “We were not keen on any shot because we had no ill-motive.”

There were indications that Jonathan might have sold a dummy to Amaechi to show Nigerians that he has nothing against the governor.

A top source said: “They said they played politics at the Nigeria Governors Forum; the President also engaged in super politics at the airport. And Amaechi is basking in the euphoria of the super politics.

“The Rivers State project is still on course because PDP stakeholders are yearning for change and they will get it in 2015.

“About two weeks ago, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, made it clear that only ex-Governors Rufus Ada George and Peter Odili had done well in the state. So, do you think Jonathan will go to Rivers State and give Amaechi a pat on the back? Read between the lines.”