Rivers State was created from the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria by Decree No. 19 of 1967. Today no one writes on the socio-development of Rivers State without making reference to the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi occupies reasonable space on the political map of Rivers State, since the beginning of the current political dispensation.
He was a Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) for a period of eight (8) years and later moved into the Government House, where he is now concluding his second term in office.
His administration is full of controversies. Amaechi was elected to saddle the leadership of the state on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Barely one (1) year to the expiration of his tenure, he defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Amaechi as a governor has committed so many offences (Sins), that will be very difficult for Rivers People to pardon him.
This weekly carried out intensive and extensive investigation on the activities of the outgoing Governor and later discovered that twenty one (21) unpardonable sins are hovering round him. These offences are enumerated as follows:
(1) Sale of some state government owned properties namely: Olympia Hotel, Risonpalm, Supabod building amongst others.
(2) The demolition of the Abonnema wharf community, that forced over 5,000 residents to become homeless on their fatherland.
(3) Indiscriminate reduction of the salaries of civil servants
(4) The permanent closure of the Rivers State judiciary
(5) Raining abuses on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his wife, Dame Mrs. Patience Jonathan
(6) Disrespect to traditional institution
(7) Construction of non-profitable multi-billion naira white elephant project, the 3km mono rail
(8) Increasing rate of corruption in the state.
(9) The high wave of crime and violence in the state
(10) Closure of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA).
(11) So many abandoned projects such as Eagle Island – IIaobuchi link road, Egbelu/Ogbogoro road, Rumuolumeni road amongst others.
(12) Abandoning Rivers students under the state oversea scholarship scheme
(13) Use of state funds to sponsor APC Campaign
(14) Applying dictatorial and authoritarian leadership style in governing Rivers State.
(15) Owing pensioners over N6bn
(16) Forceful imposition of Prof. B.B. Fakae as the Vice Chancellor on the staff and non-academic staff of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology
(17) Procure over N300bn debt
(18) Demolition of Obi Wali Cultural Centre Complex and sold to business associates for private business venture.
(19) So many secondary schools were demolished, but after seven (7) years the students of these schools are still learning under the trees.
(20) The state owned aircraft and helicopter have been converted to personal properties.
(21) Creation of several parallel, unrecognized and non-existing traditional stools in the rural communities.
The sins so far committed by the Governor have placed Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at a tight corner to scale through the April 11, governorship election in the state. ###
