THE people of Ikwere ethnic nationality in Rivers State have condemned what they described as unwarranted attacks and campaign of calumny against Governor Chibuike Amaechi.
They called on President Goodluck Jonathan to direct security operatives to stop what they called underserved embarrassment being meted out to the governor.
The call was contained in a statement issued at the end of a one-day summit held on Monday and signed by the President- General of Ogbakor Ikwere, Prof. Augustine Onyeozu, member of the House of Representatives representing Emohua/Ikwere Constituency, Andrew Uchendu, and former Deputy Governor of old Rivers State, Dr. Frank Eke.
The summit, which was attended by all the first class chiefs in Ikwere, traditional rulers, executive members of Ogbakor Ikwere Youth Organisation and women groups, among others, was convened following series of claims and counter-claims on Amaechi and his leadership of the state, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and his relationship with President Goodluck Jonathan.
Reading the statement, Uchendu said after thorough examination of all the issues, the Ikwere people resolved to pledge their loyalty to President Jonathan, considering their over one million votes cast for the President during the 2011 election.
The statement reads in part: “We are very proud of the impressive performance of Governor Amaechi since his assumption of office in 2007, especially in conspicuous presence of basic infrastructure in all nooks and crannies of the state.
“Governor Amaechi has every right as any other Nigerian to freedom of association and liberty as enshrined in the 1999 Constituting (as amended).
“We endorse fully the open letter written to Mr. President by Ogbakor Ikwere Cultural Organisation worldwide requesting Mr. President to direct security operatives to stop undeserved embarrassment being meted out to the governor.”
