Since the sacking of Godspower Ake led PDP EXCO in Rivers State, which has culminated into the suspension of the State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi things have never been the same again. This was worsened by the controversial NGF election which up till date Amaechi and Jonah Jang, the governor of Plateau State and political rival still lay claim on winning the election. Indications are ripe that Amaechi’s travails came as a result of his ambition to contest the 2015 election as a vice president under Sule Lamido, the gov of Jigawa State.
The lid blew opened when posters of the planned election of Amaechi and Lamido flooded streets of some northern states and beyond. This was said to have irked President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience who saw move as a calculated attempt by the duo to unseat the president ,they therefore demanded for the head of the governor. One thing led to another, the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, former chief of staff to Amaechi and Director-General, Amaechi Campaign Organization in the 2007 gubernatorial election who had allegedly fallen off with him over who becomes the next gov of Rivers State quickly offered himself as a ready tool to destabilize the Amaechi government and joined forces with the presidency to torment Amaechi. The gov’s position on the matter was that since the governorship position in the state is rotational amongst the federating ethnic nationalities, there is no way an Ikwerre man would take over from him after his tenure . But this did not digest well with his kinsman ,Wike who saw his stance as a calculated attempt to deny him of a God given opportunity to ascend to the highest echelon of power in Rivers State. Confidants to both political heavy weights however said that their misunderstanding goes beyond what meets the eyes. They were of the opinion that the power tussle between the two Ikwerre sons is not of any benefit to the state or even Nigeria at large. Stakeholders from Ikwerre, the ethnic nationality of gov Amaechi and Wike had tried to settle the rift between their two illustrious sons without success. Even the clergy in the state led by Bishop(Dr) Friday Nwator, the President of Integrity Bishops and Faithful Ministers Network without much results.
PDP has continuously hinged its reasons for punishing Gov Amaechi on his refusal to rescind his decision on the suspension of the Obio/Akpor council Chairman, Prince Timothy Nsirim, his vice and 17 councilors that make up the council believed to be staunch supporters of Wike.
It was also speculated that, Wike has been receiving covering fire from Obio/Akpor, his L.G.A, hence the decision to dissolve it. This however did not go down well with the presidency and PDP, who demanded a reversal of that decision, which was rebuffed. The PDP did not take this slight or arrogance lightly as it did not only use big stick on Amaechi, but extended the measure(suspension) to the 27 lawmakers, including the Speaker, Hon Otelemaba Amachree and his Deputy,Hon Leyii Kwanee who perfected the Obio/Akpor Council dissolution. The State House of Assembly has not sat since it dissolved Obio/Akpor council, the unpopular decision that was visited by the party’s (PDP) anger. The Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu was not spared in the tussle, as he was accused from different quarters of complicity in the entire saga. The CP had to organize press briefing severally to clear his image .Gov Amaechi and his supporters still see Mr. Mbu as working for the external powers that be, apparently referring to the presidency and those that are now tagged ‘Abuja politicians’. This fear was confirmed recently by the governor when he received in audience a one time Minister of Petroleum in the country, Prof. Tam David West who before now has been critical of President Jonathan and his administration, despite the fact that both of them hail from the Niger Delta region.
In a recent visit to Rivers State, Mrs Jonathan had openly criticized Amaechi’s govt, saying that Port Harcourt has ceased to be a garden city since the inception of Amaechi’s administration. The First Lady had instead heaped praises on Wike, the gov’s perceived opponent.The situation was so bad that for over seven days the First Lady stayed in Rivers State, neither the gov nor his wife received the Nigerian number one lady. Political watchers had suggested and thought that such visit would have been used to mend fences, if only the feuding parties were ready to sheathe their swords.
As the battle for supremacy between Amaechi and Wike camps on one side and the Presidency and Rivers State on the other side rages on, well meaning Nigerians have expressed their disgust on the level of indifference being exhibited by Ikwerre ethnic nationality in wading into the feud. Before now, it was Sir Celestine Omehia vs Amaechi and currently, Wike vs Amaechi all of Ikwerre extraction, pundits have wondered and queried whether Rivers State made a mistake in allowing the Ikwerre ethnic nationality to produce a governor since 1967 when the state was created, in view of the endless or mounting power tussle among the same kinsmen. We gathered from a reliable source that Omehia and Amaechi’s case which is now in the Supreme Court will come up on October 3rd ,2013. As it stands only time will tell the outcome.
By Barth Ndu
