Amaechi shows strength

IT was the seventh anniversary of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s extraordinary inauguration as governor of River State last Saturday. The opportunity turned out to be an opportunity for the governor to make a bold statement on the political morphology of the state.

The 40,000 seating capacity stadium in Port-Harcourt, the state capital was fully occupied forcing many late comers to the celebration to make do on the playing pitch.

It was an opportunity for several stakeholders to give assessment of the Amaechi administration and among them were Non-Indigenes who speaking through a representative, just identified as Obinna praised Amaechi for integrating non-indigenes into the politics of the state.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Dan Amacheree who has 25 of the 32 members of the House on his side equally affirmed the determination of the House not to be cowed by money or might into fighting the governor.

“Governor Amaechi has brought change and transformation to Rivers state. He has made been made the face if transparency in Rivers state. We want to assure you that the 25 members of the house are behind you and we pledge our commitment to you because no form of opposition, intimidation or bribery will deter us from supporting you.

Opposition and intimidation

We will make sure we change Nigeria and Rivers state. They even bribed some of us with oil blocs but we resisted it. Go home and spread the message that we do not exist on billboards.”

Rivers will vote the APC way — Reps members

Members of the House of Representatives caucus from the state were not left out. Chairman, House Committee in the Downstream sector, Mr Dakuku Peterside, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues said: “We have taken note that you are a man of principle, character and integrity and you have shown that you can stand up for Rivers state. We also want to assure you that the people of Rivers state will vote APC all the way from the president down to the councilors.”

Change is coming to Nigeria—Sen Abe

Also, the Senators from the state predicted victory for the party ahead of next year’s polls just as they appealed to Rivers people to vote out PDP at the centre.

Senator Magnus Abe, who led seven other senators on solidarity said “from the National Assembly, we have seven senators present here, we are celebrating the seventh year anniversary of the governor and seven represents victory. Our message for Nigerians is that they should get ready with their voters card because by February 2015, there will be change in Nigeria”.

A thief ‘ll not govern Rivers——Amaechi

When it was time for governor Amaechi to deliver his speech, he went spiritual as he led the people into a spiritual realm of singing and dancing to God the victory he got at the apex court seven years ago.

Amaechi, who interrupted his speech with repeated jubilation, was in high spirit at the rally. He, however, took a swipe at one of his arch opponents, who was aspiring to govern the state.

Amaechi said “one of them campaigning for governorship was the contractor that was supposed to do the roads. He collected N3 billion and left, now he wants to become governor, a thief will not become governor. I challenge them from Rivers State to Abuja, to an integrity test. I have worked with them, I have their records, their records are in the office of the governor. So go and rest.”

He also took time to fault the anti- graft fight saying “the problem we have is that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is no longer working, corruption is at its industrial peak. Thieves are thieves because we now have an industry called corruption”.

My victory is divine

While he appreciated God for his Supreme Court victory, he said “the day I was told that the President and his people were trying to remove me as governor, I called for prayer session in Government House and I said to them, ‘God told me that I would finish my tenure’. When we finished praying, I said the fight has started and believe me, this fight will continue but we are going nowhere.”

“There was a case in the Supreme Court and everybody was worried but I told you we would win it, that the God I worship told me we would win it. I thank God for keeping us and I want to tell them, we are going nowhere. There is a punishment for people who betray others, God is very clear about thieves and those who betray others. After stealing government money, you betray people because you want to become governor, they will get nowhere.

Before I became governor, I went to God for more than 10 months. They have the president, the army and the police but they do not have God.

They can go to Jerusalem 50 times, God has decided what will happen in Nigeria in 2015. Take it for free, there will be change in Nigeria”, he said.

He also commended the Senate President, Senator David Mark and the leadership,of the Senate for wading into the planned hijack of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to him, “in thanking members if the Senate, let me also thank the President of the Senate because when they tried to hijack the house, the a Senate President and all the members of the Senate, rose up to the task and stood by us. Rivers people stood by me as governor and are still standing by me, I have no choice but to deliver on my service. I have to deliver on my promise because that is the task I have.”

Achievements

In seven years. I have built 20 classroom blocks and 500 of them are ready. We have built over 140 health centres, we employed over 13000 teachers, we have employed over 400 doctors and we have created farms so that our children can go there to seek employment. The federal government does not care for you, they want you to die of water borne diseases, punish them with your votes.”

He lampooned the presidency for failing to embark on developmental projects in Rivers State. He said “punish PDP with your votes. They said the reason the President is not performing in Rivers State is because he is quarrelling with the governor of Rivers State that is what they said. It is more of lack of performance. What is the quarrel? When the president spoke in Benin, he spoke in a stadium that was less than 20000, when TAN held their rally in Port-Harcourt, it was held in a 15000 capacity stadium.”

Commenting on his move from the PDP to the APC. Amaechi said “We had to leave the PDP because they were against a Rivers people and we moved to the APC. APC is the solution, it will protect our interest, we must vote out the PDP. He (Jonathan) is not my brother, my brother is the one who delivers on the service for me. So, if the president says he is our brother, let him call one project he has done for Rivers state”.

Solidarity messages

Solidarity messages were received from the party’s presidential aspirants who were present at the occasion who used the occasion to sell themselves. Those present were Leadership publisher Sam Nda-Isaiah, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwanso.

For APC national chairman, Odigie-Oyegun, the outpouring of affection for Amaechi that day was enough to rubbish the claim made by the President at the Benin PDP rally that the PDP was in full control of Rivers. “The entire leadership of APC has come, we have seen and we are convinced that Amaechi controls the crowd in Rivers state.”