Kinsmen of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of
Rives State have been urged to call their son
to order over the verbal attacks he has been
dishing out recently against President
Goodluck Jonathan.
The leader of the six anti-Amaechi
lawmakers in the Rivers State House of
Assembly, Mr. Evans Bipi, who made the call
yesterday while speaking with journalists in
Port Harcourt on Wednesday, also warned
that the state would be made ungovernable
for the governor should he refuse to heed the
call to stop attacking the President.
Bipi stressed the need for the governor’s
kinsmen to call him to order so that he
(Amaechi) could conclude the remaining
months of his tenure in peace.
He expressed regret that Amaechi had
consistently denigrated the president and his
wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, describing the
action as an abuse of the governor’s
immunity.
Bipi said, “We appeal to chiefs and leaders of
Ubima community, Amaechi’s native home to
ask their son to desist from attacking the
President and his wife if he wants to
peacefully conclude the remaining months of
his tenure.
“Let me warn that we will make the state
ungovernable for him (Amaechi), not minding
his immunity if he does not refrain from this
irresponsible action against the President
and his wife.
“It is regrettable that Rotimi Amaechi has
consistently insulted and disparaged a sitting
President and his wife with impunity in
abuse of his immunity as a governor. May I
also warn Amaechi to also stop using the
platform and resources of Rivers State for
his personal interest”.
He, however, accused the state governor of
using N19 billion belonging to the state to
organise ‘an extravagant’ rally for the All
Progressives Congress.
Bipi said, “We feel pained that we are
constrained to take necessary action against
him (governor) because of the immunity,
which he enjoys. However, we are
encouraged by the fact that his arrogant
reign as the governor of Rivers State will
soon come to an end.
“In less than eight months from now,
Amaechi will be made to answer for all his
actions against President Goodluck Jonathan
and his wife Dame Patience Jonathan”.
Challenging the governor to show proof
where Mrs. Jonathan, who he once famously
called his ‘Jesus’, allegedly sent militants to
stage protest against him for refusing to
share Rivers money with her, Bipi also
accused the governor’s wife – Judith
Amaechi – of receiving N36 million from him
to support her Empowerment Support
Initiative programme.
Reacting to the allegations, the Chief of
Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt,
Chief Tony Okocha, said it was wrong and
irresponsible for anybody to say that the
state would be made ungovernable.
He stressed that Gov. Amaechi had nothing
personal against the president and first lady,
adding that the bone of contention had to do
with the neglect of Rivers State and the
people by the Federal Government under the
leadership of President Jonathan.
He maintained that Amaechi couldn’t have
kept quiet as a governor in the face of ill
treatment against the people of the state,
adding that the lawmaker spoke out of
ignorance.
“On the allegation that the governor spent
N19 billion for an extravagant rally, they saw
the tsunami or the crowd at the stadium and
they are now looking for a way to explain it
because they have been deceiving the
Presidency that the APC is not on the ground
in Rivers State.
“That is just the minutest of the crowd. With
a snap of the hand, the APC supporters
would gather in a larger number than what
they saw on Saturday. The people of the
state are simply in love with their governor”,
Okocha added.
He, however, disagreed with Bipi on the
allegations that Mrs. Amaechi collected N36
million from him to support her ESI
programme, adding that burden of proof lies
on the person making the allegation.
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