Don't Threaten Amaechi, APC Tells Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress, APC, South-south chapter, has announced that the party will do everything possible to stop the alleged threat to the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, by the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

This is according to Hilliard Etagbo Eta, the National Vice-Chairman of APC in South south zone, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, 18 September, 2014.

Eta alleged that at the beginning of the altercation between Governor Amaechi and President Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan, agents of the federal government had used the then state Police Commissioner, Joseph Mbu, to harass Amaechi and his political associates.

 

He added that Mbu few days ago bragged about how he was able to tame Amaechi when he was the police commissioner in state, claiming that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was fighting a lost battle against Amaechi.

READ ALSO: Amaechi Warns Nigerian Police

Eta alleged further that the recent killing of Amechi’s uncle pointed to the fact that the sole aim of the killers was to get at the governor himself, adding that his opponents have been targeting people close to the governor for harassment and elimination.

The politician also condemned the handling of the gruesome murder of Chief Harry Marshall many years ago, adding that Marshall was before his sudden death, the National Vice Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

According to him, the murder should be addressed as the Australian negotiator, Stephen Davis, has given a clue about his death.

“This is an illustrious son of our country and I want the government to reopen the investigations into his death,” Eta said.

He questioned why the former Minister of Transport, Abiye Sekibo, has not been invited to defend himself to the claim made by Davis that he knows about Marshall’s death.

READ ALSO: This Is What Amaechi Has To Say About Boko Haram

According to the APC zonal chieftain, the recent allegation made by Davis that Boko Haram’s sponsors are close to the government and the fact that President Jonathan has not done anything about the claim is a confirmation of the unwillingness of the PDP-led administration to put a stop to the growing insecurity in the country.

It would be recalled that former security Adviser to one time Rivers State governor, Peter Odili, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe few days ago said that Nyesom Wike is the main reason why President Goodluck Jonathan and governor Amaechi is engaged in a feud.

Sara-Igbe alleged that Wike pitted the President against Amaechi  in a bid to realise his own personal political growth.

Read More

Ebola: We Are Yet To Receive FG's N200m assistance - Rivers Govt

Nigeria has been battling with the Ebola virus for over two months now since  Liberian-American ECOWAS Diplomat, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, brought the virus into the nation.

Since the virus crept into River state, The Rivers state government has said that they have not seen the N200m assistance the FG promised them despite Lagos State receiving the sum.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Advises FG To Immortalise Adadevoh.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Rivers State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sampson Parker said that the Amaechi led government has however allocated a budget of N1bn from Emergency Operation Committee to fight EVD in the State.

He said: “Well, I am still waiting; the Minister (of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu), has visited us and he said he was going to do something. So, I am waiting”.

He said that even though its early to start accounting the amount spent on fighting the virus.

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has already given about N300 million and will continue to do more.

READ ALSO: Ebola: Fashola Clears Air On School Resumption

He said:“The Governor will continue to release more funds; we are paying salaries daily. We are paying allowances daily. The expenditure is a daily occurrence. We will continue to spend. We have a budget of about N1bn combined. It is not just Rivers State Ministry of Health.

“It is from Emergency Operation Committee, comprising the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and Centre for Disease Control. That is the EOC, it is not Rivers State. So, that is what we are budgeting. That is our projection for Rivers State. The Governor has promised us that whenever we need resources, he is ready to make them available.”

READ ALSO: I See No Reason Why Schools Should Remain Closed – Health Minister

The Commissioner however said it is not yet time to start celebraing the end of Ebola, and said that as long as there are cases out in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

When asked if the Rivers State government had any plans to screen potential visitors, he said: “We have a very robust set up, not only for treatment but also for prevention. All the points of entry, coming in by bus, by air and by sea are all covered. We can do just that much, I always say that no matter how careful you are, a bad man is always a bad man; just as Ibukun (Koye) escaped Lagos and came to Port Harcourt. And, there was somebody that gave him a room.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Economy Triumphs Over Ebola

“In war, where everywhere is tight, you see people escaping tough gun battle and going to another country. It is like that. And, again, that brings the fact that it is not yet time to celebrate until we sort out the issues in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Those are human beings; and, in every human being, the survival instinct is high. If anyone escapes in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the place they will think of is Nigeria.

“No matter how tight we put our security, they will find a way to break through. The best way to prevent this disease from coming into Nigeria is to go there; the international community, Nigeria, West Africa community and Africa should go there and solve their problems. If you don’t solve their problems, one way or the other, they will break through into other countries.”

Last Week, Health minister Chukwu said: “We know now that there is no place in Nigeria now that we are treating anyone for EVD, but we have not started celebrating yet for the simple reason that we have not yet won the war.

We do not want surprises. “No one for now has active EVD in Nigeria, but that is not to say that will be surprised if we have one tomorrow”.

Read More

Amaechi’s Cousin Was Cut To Death With Machete

A cousin of governor Chibuike Amaechi, Sabinus Ordu, has been murdered in his home town, Ubima, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State, according to the Rivers Police Command.

The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari, who confirmed the incident to Premium Times in Port Harcourt on Friday, said Mr. Ordu was Amaechi’s uncle. However, he is a senior cousin because they share same grandfather.

According to Mrs. Semenitari, the mutilated body of Mr. Ordu, the vice principal of the Community Secondary School, ALUU, also in the local government, was found on Monday night.

On September 8, the deceased had gone to inspect his trap in the bush during which his assailant cut him with machete to death. It could not be ascertained immediately if the killing was politically motivated.

“Late Mr. Sabinus Ordu, who is an uncle (senior cousin) to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, returned home in the afternoon from CSS, ALUU, where he is the vice principal and told the boy staying with him that he was going into the bush to check his traps.”

“He then mounted his motorcycle and left for the bush but did not return until it was night. At about 8.00p.m, the boy raised an alarm which attracted the villagers. A search party was sent to look for him,” Mrs. Semenitari said.

Mrs. Semenitari added that on the way into the bush the search party saw the victim’s motorcycle by the bush path, and went into the bush where they found his lifeless body, mutilated with several machete cuts.

The commissioner said the matter has been reported to the Elele Police Division and that Mr. Ordu remains have been deposited in a private mortuary.“The matter has been reported to the Police at Elele while the body has been deposited at the morgue.”

“It is worrisome because Ordu was a peace loving man, a school principal and the entire Amaechi’s family has been thrown into deep mourning,’’ she said.

Read More

Mbu Wanted To Ruin Our State - Amaechi

 Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi had yesterday revealed that the Rivers state former Police Commissioner, Mr Joseph Mbu was just a politician parading himself in police clothes and attempted to destroy the Rivers state economy.

[caption id="attachment_1318" align="aligncenter" width="412"] Mbu and Amaechi[/caption]

Amaechi was speaking during a courtesy visit from the newly installed Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dan Bature along with the outgoing Commissioner of Police and newly promoted Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunshakin and other top Police officers.

He said Mbu refused to do his job of protecting lives and started becoming Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s watchdog.

READ ALSO: Amaechi Replies Alamieyeseigha On Jonathan

He the went on to praise the work of Ogunshakin saying: “Unlike Mr Mbu, who clearly showed us that he was a registered member of PDP, in your own case (Ogunshakin), you know that we had disagreement, but you realised your responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property as the paramount responsibility of the Nigerian Police. It was important you kept the peace.

 

READ ALSO: Hold Jonathan Responsible If Ebola Spreads – APC

And I thank you for that peace. I am also sure, Rivers people are happy about that. And the way Mr. Mbu was going, Rivers economy would have collapsed completely. Fortunately for us, they took him away and brought you (Ogunshakin) and you restored calm.

You tried to create a platform for all parties to have access to you. And as you go, please, go with that same spirit. The Police in Rivers State should discharge their responsibility as it concerns the protection of lives and property.

READ ALSO: PDP Accuses Amaechi Over Ebola

He then went on to welcome in the new commissioner of Police and then renewed the oath he took in 2007.

He said:  I will repeat what I said, when I was sworn in as governor in 2007. I said, if the Federal Government refuses to provide legitimate source of livelihood for Nigerians in our state, Nigerians will provide for themselves illegitimate source of livelihood.

READ ALSO: Group To Mobilise 3 Million Voters For Jonathan

And that include kidnapping, robbery, stealing by people who will hire or provide police or military uniforms. And that illegitimate source of livelihood becomes its own economy which automatically frightens the legitimate economy.”

Rivers state Governor before defecting to the APC had been involved in a power struggle with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Situation seemed to have escalated when Mrs Patience Jonathan, who hails from Rivers state was helped by the then Commissioner of police Mbu to frustrate governor Amaechi.

Read More