Worried over insinuations making the rounds that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Governor of Rivers has been paired with Sule Lamido to contest for the 2015 presidential election, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, (NGF), said he has no plan for any position in 2015 election.
It would be recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has once suggested that it would be nice to pair governor Amaechi and Sule Lamido to contest for the position of president and vice president respectively under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), come 2015.
The suggestion of President Obasanjo has continued to generate controversy across the nation and even unsettled President Goodluck Jonathan’s political camp.
Some persons have even gone ahead to purchase vehicles and posters soliciting for people’s support in that regard.
In a press conference at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday November 5, 2012, Governor Amaechi narrated how he saw some persons with vehicles and posters bearing his poster and that of Lamido at the northern part of Nigeria campaigning for them for 2015 presidential election.
The Chief Executive who noted that it was too early to campaign for the 2015 election, said he has not decided on the 2015 election, stressing that he was only focusing on the current mandate he got from the state, adding that those behind the campaign were on their own.
Governor Amaechi further stated that, he had never attended any political meeting on the 2015 election, advising that the people should leave him alone.
Commenting on the ceding of some oil wells in Rivers State to Bayelsa State, Governor Amaechi, who maintained that he relied on Dr. Jonathan’s statement on the issue and expressed satisfaction with the manner in which the president was handling the matter, disclosing that the president had advised them not to make any public statement on the matter any more.
Governor Amaechi disclosed that 71 oil wells in Soku, Elem Sangama Abonnema in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State were about to be given to Bayelsa State, stressing that the move was stopped when the Kalabari chiefs intervened by crying out.
Amaechi expressed sadness that 46 oil wells had been given to Abia State.
Governor Amaechi, who had been having problems with the civil servants in the state over social welfare arrears being deducted from their salaries said he had taken time to explain to them about the deduction which he said includes the pension scheme and the free primary education, stressing that he had even asked them “if the one being deducted should be given back to them, and they said no”.
He, however, ordered that the deduction should be stopped for the meantime because of the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebration, pointing out that it will continue from February 2013.
According to him, the affected LGAs failed to heed his advice of demolishing illegal structures like the mechanics workshops other which has constituted nuisance in their areas.
The Chief Executive Officer of the state also hinted on his achievements so far.
He said security situation in the state has improved.
“On works, we were almost completing construction of roads but we later stopped because of the rains, but we are going to fix all the roads in D/line, Town, Diobu axis and Ada George, among others before we leave office.
Governor Amaechi further explained the achievement recorded in education, health, housing, agriculture, power, and the controversial monorail, among others.###
By Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
