Governor Amaechi And His Negative Type Of Change.
As an inevitability change is defined according to the oxford advanced learners dictionary as “ to pass or make somebody or something pass from one state or form to another.
When change is mention in any in any context of a polity, what necessarily comes to one’s mind is positivity, a huge sigh of relief then inform the mind.
Change when witnessed generally brings about smiles on the faces of the citizenry, meaning that a new hope has come into being. Change is always expected to be positive rather than negative. Hence the many questions on governor Amaechi type of change.
Many believed change is constant hence it is inevitable and a welcome development in any society and the citizens are clothed in joy as well as possibly celebrate the sight of such light.
Suffice to say that change is light, progress, development and new hope as explained above, otherwise no individual would rejoice for the noise of an acclaimed entrant of hope judging from the way and manner governor and his party are about the system. Is he governing with grudge against anyone? he is a valiant man, no one could dire him, then why is he with his vainglory acting like a man who is being chased by ghosts?
It is no longer news in Nigeria and Rivers State in particular where the noise of the said change has bedeviled, blindfold and off-course enslave many that the governor has turned a tyrant doing only what he considers against the will of the people and the constitution he sworn to.
As the manners of many are, to always embrace e anything new, Rivers people were not only carried away but also deceived into following the train of the acclaimed change which was later discovered to be evil, and betrayals.
While many have actually discovered the truth behind the said change by the Amaechi led government in the middle of his second tenure when he defected from the PDP to the APC, there are yet others who are seemingly dreaming and crawling from coming out of such high level deceit, betrayal and evil called change as professed by governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his party cluster.
What kind of change is governor Amaechi professing? Change ushers in excitement rather than sadness, but unequivocally, it is heartrending to notice that the professed change campaign carried out by Rotimi Amaechi, outgoing governor of Rivers is unfortunately in the negative drive.
The change everybody yearns for is the positive kind not such as demonstrated by the Amaechi led group in Rivers. Little wonder the outgoing deputy governor of Rivers , Engineer Telenyem Renner Ikuru opted out having studied the trend of the so called change and its agents and as well come to a conclusion that they are evil and rebels.
The thrust of this episode is to examine the changes, the outgoing governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had brought or introduced in Rivers State. It is on record that since the governor dumped the umbrella for the broom party, there had been no significant progress, as projects embarked upon in the state are without adequate attention and those ongoing are long abandoned.
Many citizens and perhaps opposition political parties especially the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, had described the governor as a tyrant and believing that his administration is tyrannical in nature as things are done in contrary to expectations and norms of democratic norms rather by selfish desires.
It was incredible that to notice that a state budget was presented to the embattled Rivers State Assembly and it was passed few hours later same day. It has never been done in Nigeria history. So what kind of change was Amaechi professing?
In 2007 when Amaechi assumed office as the Supreme Court governor in Rivers, he hurriedly cancelled the local government election billed to be conducted, frustrated the already cleared candidates and brought his stooges on board to chair the councils in May 2008 having constituted a new RISEC.
The leadership of Amaechi again manipulated the closing down of state legislative chambers till date without recourse to the rule of law prevalent at the centre. As at the time of this episode as the governor is pulling out of the brick house, a segment of the Rivers State Assembly members loyal to him are sitting in government house other than the preferred complex on Moscow road. What a tyranny, could this be the kind of change the people yearn for?
The State judiciary is not left out of the institution that suffered not only set back but negative change in the hands of Amaechi. Over a year now no courts have seen the light of the day in Rivers. Lawyers, litigants, and innocently accused persons standing trials are unduly punished by Amaechi’s bad government. Some Lawyers especially the beginners have gotten the torture of their lives. What a state?
Rivers money against his proposed slogan, Rivers money for Rivers people had become, “Rivers money for Yoruba people”, an indication that what many believed as why Amaechi is fraternizing with the south-westerners might not be far from the truth.
The reasons why the citizenry voted against APC in the State are many including the stolen mandate from the PDP. No one has disputed the claims that many who are presently in Amaechi’s cabinet are there for greener pastures while their spirits are in the PDP.
For Rivers indigenes to enjoy dividends of democracy, they have to reclaim their stolen mandate which has been done by the election of Chief ( Barr.) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. CON of the PDP as governor elect of Rivers State. Is however believed that the PDP and WIKE are the hope of the people, and now that the mandate is recovered, the stage is therefore set for an uncommon transformation that had eluded Rivers people.
The big question is what kind of change do Rivers Citizens expect? Is it a negative change where State Assembly, the Courts would cease to exist? Is it where council chairmen would be intimidated against embarking on developmental projects? The change is it where chairmen would be sacked indiscriminately without justifiable reasons according to the laws? Is it where elders and fathers would be insulted and assaulted? What change do Rivers people expect from a government that had frustrated viable institution in the state?
Currently, governor Amaechi who has less than five weeks to hang his boot in the state game is plunging the state into anarchy by conducting the Local Government elections on 23rd May, just six (6) days to the inauguration of a new government. Is that fair?
Anyway, without stating any possible action or reactionary measures that awaits those whose decision it is to waste their monies, time and energy in pursing such election, it is time to conclude that one good turn deservers another, irrespective of all odds and antics the outgoing governor may constitute.
Let it be further reminded that if Amaechi who acts like Ahab,Judas or Pharaoh would disregard the Presidency, then does he think another administration would regard his own APC led federal government when its action time? Amaechi’s believe is that APC led federal government is an avenue where all norms would be done away with in the state he is leaving.
While Issues Abattoir reason that vedio clips of the arrogant governor may be played back to him, and his activities x-ray, it is painful to be at the receiving end of evil perpetrated against others, hence the suggestion or appeal to all citizens not to be drunk with power, rather always be careful especially in the course of governance.
It is therefore the opinion of Issues Abattoir that, while a positive change beacons now in Rivers via the instrumentality of Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as governor of Rivers, it is time to jettison unruly behaviour , manners, and activities of the outgoing administration and embrace the true, real and needed change.
Finally, as the people are joyous over the incoming government, excitement and expectations are high. It is against this backdrop that Issues Abattoir also recommends or enjoined the government of Barr. Wike, to strive in taking Rivers State to an enviable height that would be the hub of life as well as a referral point in every endeavor thereby consolidating the faith of all in the PDP.
With James Mgboineme
