A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Andrew Uchendu, Ikwerre/ Emohua Federal Constituency, Rivers State, has raised an alarm over the threat to the life of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.
At a press conference at the National Assembly on Monday, the lawmaker, said it was necessary to draw the attention of Nigerians to the harassment of Amaechi by the Federal Government, which he described as “ an aberration in governance,” of the President Goodluck Jonathan regime.
The lawmaker while recounting the travails of the governor in the hands of the Federal Government chronicled the incidents from May 2013 when Amaechi went to Ado-Ekiti to commiserate with Governor Kayode Fayemi on the death of his deputy and the Rivers governor’s plane was seized.
“Again on Monday, June 9, 2014, the governor went on a condolence visit to the Governor of Kano State over the death of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, the chartered aircraft was impounded.
“As if these two incidents were not enough threat, Rotimi Amaechi, on the June 19, 2014, flew into Akure on his way to Ado- Ekiti, to attend the final rally of the APC. The aircraft landed and on his way to Ado- Ekiti, he was prevented by the Nigerian soldiers from driving into Ado- Ekiti.
“He was stopped, delayed against his wish. To worsen matters, his aircraft was impounded and he was made to drive to Lagos from that point. Soldiers maintained by taxpayers money and at gunpoint forced the governor to leave Ondo State. What could be worse than this in a democratic setting and to an elected governor of a state? This is truly an aberration in governance.”
According to Uchendu, in all the three incidences, those carrying out the order said they are acting on“ orders from above.”
He said that Amaechi “ has been the only governor that had his State House of Assembly invaded and desecrated by hired thugs and militants; he is the only Governor that has had canisters thrown by the Nigerian Police into his seat of Power, the Government House.
“The 1999 Constitution ( as amended) Chapter iv subsections (40) and (41) guaranteed every Nigerian the freedom of Association and movement. But events of the recent weeks, around Amaechi which has come in rather very quick succession, have cast a pall fog on my vision that I am wondering what might become of the life of Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi if the attention of Nigerians and the Government of Nigeria are not drawn to these unsavory events.
“It is therefore my plea to all men of goodwill to prevail on the Federal Government and its Agents to allow Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to live. He is a full- blooded Nigerian citizen and elected by the people of Rivers State of Nigeria,” Uchendu said.
