The Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was held hostage by security agents in Odudu, Ondo State, in an exclusive interview with Channels Television, has blamed the presidency for his ordeal in the hands of security operatives.
The governor said “we landed in Akure airport and in between the boundary of Ekiti and Ondo, we were stopped by about 15 soldiers”, insisting that “the instruction was from the Presidency”.
He claimed that the Presidency gave strict orders “that Amaechi should not be let in” adding that “when I decided to drive back to Akure, I was stopped in a village called Olorunshogo and when I stopped there, they insisted that they gave me 20 minutes after which I must leave there if not they will attack me.”
“When I got to the (Akure) airport, the plane that brought me had been impounded” he said, wondering why “the military will close the airport and why will the military be harassing an elected governor.”
“Why will the military stop the governor of Adamawa from flying, why will they stop the governor of Kano from landing and why will they stop the governor of Edo from taking off”, he quipped via a telephone interview.
The Governor was said to have left Port Harcourt on Thursday morning for Ekiti to join the APC rally before the governorship elections, scheduled to hold on Saturday.
The Rivers State Government has expressed concern over the safety of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who was held hostage commando style by soldiers and federal government security agents in Odudu, Ondo State.
In a statement signed by the State Information and Communications Commissioners, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, the state government said, Governor Amaechi, as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ forum and as an APC governor and chieftain had left Port Harcourt yesterday morning for Ekiti state where he was to join his brother governor in his last mega rally before the elections.
Governor Amaechi the statement said, was ambushed and refused entry into Ekiti by military personnel acting on orders from above. He made to turn back and return to Akure where his chattered aircraft was parked but was chased and rounded by armed soldiers and security personnel in Odudu, Ondo state. According to the captain who led the operation, he had orders not to allow the governor entry or exit.
“In the meantime, the chattered aircraft that conveyed the governor has been grounded while the minsters of Defence, Police Affairs and Minister of State for Defence have landed at the Akure airport”, the statement said.
The Rivers State government specifically expressed worries that Federal government and President Jonathan could single out Governor Amaechi for harassment and attack.
“While we hold the person and office of the President in utmost regards, we believe that it is unacceptable that the presidency would disrespect the person and office of an elected governor of a federating unit and consistently hound him”, the statement said.
“The Rivers State Government is all the more worried as the Ondo saga is coming on the heels of a plot by six PDP lawmakers yesterday morning to carry out a kangaroo impeachment of the duly elected governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, first at Krisdara hotels and later Bauchi Street, Port Harcourt.
“Ordinarily such banality should be ignored as it is neither legal nor constitutional. However in the light of the recent attempts to hoist a Chief Judge on Rivers people through the back door and the attendant rumours that the reason for that desperate act was to make it easier for the PDP to actualize its sinister daydream of ousting Governor Amaechi before May 29, 2015, we believe that it has become necessary to draw the attention of Rivers people, Nigerians and the international community to the situation in Rivers State.
Following, is the rest of the statement: Only yesterday, in preparation for this tragicomedy, the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Amaechi of importing terrorists into the state and the region. They continued their diatribe by demanding that the governor of Rivers State be put under surveillance. The State Government wouldn’t have dignified the PDP’s display of ignorance with a response but for the fact that these accusations coupled with today’s actions are omniuos signs of how far the PDP is willing to go in its quest to cling onto power by all means.
The antecedents of impunity on the part of the leadership of the PDP are instructive and the party’s desperation to harm and stop anyone they perceive as major threat to their crumbling electoral fortunes next year is no longer news. The detention attempt and incident at the Kano International Airport last week are still fresh in the minds of Nigerians. Also, the call to put Gov Amaechi under surveillance (or is it house arrest?) on the same day that PDP started effort to unseat the Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency, Murtala Nyako, is enough indication of the script already written by a jittery PDP.
It is sad that the insane minds of the authors of the PDP accusation are jeopardizing police investigations of the 486 travellers who were intercepted in Aba, Abia State, and who are still being screened. One only wishes that the PDP would address the issues of the insecurity in the country with as much fervor and vigour as it deploys towards witch hunting its political opponents
The Rivers Government wishes to state that the world knows those who feather the nest of cultists and militants and for whom they are canon fodder. Governor Amaechi’s position on cultism, violence and insecurity are clear as is his commitment to fighting poverty and improving the lives of our present and future generations.
The Rivers State Government will not be deterred in its efforts to deliver good governance and democratic dividends to our people.
We appeal to all Rivers people, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and citizens in the state to remain calm in the face of these provocations.
We call on the Security Agencies to exhibit professionalism in their conduct of affairs. We appeal to all well meaning people in Nigeria and around the world to please call the PDP to order before they truncate our democracy.
It appears to us that the PDP clearly have no interest in the peace and stability of the Rivers state.
We are mindful of these mischievous elements but continue to call for tolerance and eternal vigilance. We are certain that the God who reigns in the affairs of Rivers people will again deliver us from this evil and terror that stalks us at noon day.
Meanwhile, the member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, in House of Representatives, Hon. Dakuku Peterside has joined other members of the National Assembly and millions of Nigerians to strongly condemn the lawlessness and infringement of the freedom of movement and association of Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi by security operatives and soldiers acting on orders from above.
In a swift reaction in a statement yesterday, Peterside said that “ the fears of many Nigerians, particularly lovers of democracy that the PDP controlled Federal Government is determined to rig the June 21 Ekiti Governorship Elections has started manifesting. Today (yesterday) Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi , a leading member of APC and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum was barred by heavily armed soldiers from paying his colleague Governor Kayode Fayemi solidarity visit ahead of Saturday’ s elections.
“Governor Amaechi’s convoy was literarily arrested at the boundary town of Odudu between Ekiti and Ondo states by soldiers led by a Captain, citing orders from above. “The soldiers, who gave Ambassador Obanikoro , Minister of Police Affairs and other PDP leaders access into Ekiti State” Peterside said “were specifically directed not to allow Governor Amaechi and Governor Kwankwaso into Ekiti”.
According to him, “This arrest of Governor Amaechi marks another dimension in the impunity and desperation by the PDP controlled Federal Government to capture power at all cost even at the cost of Nigerian lives and the entire Nigeria democratic project. This is worrisome and should be condemned by all lovers of democracy and liberty.
“I, therefore join members of House of Representatives from Rivers State to condemn, in very strong terms, this lawlessness and infringement on the freedom of movement and association. I would also use this medium to affirm that we the people of Rivers State and our political associates will hold the Federal Government and its agents responsible for the safety of our governor”.
Peterside drew “the attention of all Nigerians and the international community to this growing intolerance and impunity of the executive arm” adding that “these developments pose a major threat to our hard-earned democracy and we all have a responsibility to defend our country”.
He cautioned politicians not to “allow the inordinate ambition of a few people to plunge the entire country into avoidable crisis”.
Source: TheTidesNewspaper
