The Rivers State Government has issued a statement
saying the state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has been arrested
and detained by security operatives in Odudu, Ondo state.
Governor
Amaechi had arrived Ondo state en-route Ado-Ekiti where he was to join
his fellow APC Governor, Kayode Fayemi for the last lap of his
re-election campaign today in when he was refused entry into
the state. He decided to turn back to Ondo state to go board the
private jet that brought him but was however arrested by security
agents.
Read the statement from Rivers Government plus pictures of Amaechi being held at the Ondo/Ekiti border by soldiers after the cut
The Rivers State
Government is concerned about the safety of Governor Amaechi who is
right now being held hostage commando style by soldiers and federal
government security agents in Odudu, Ondo state.
Governor Amaechi as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ forum and as
an APC governor and chieftain had left Port Harcourt this morning for
Ekiti state where he was to join his brother governor in his last mega
rally before the elections.
Governor Amaechi was ambushed and refused entry into Ekiti by
military personnel acting on orders from above. He made to turn back and
return to Akure where his chattered aircraft was parked but was chased
and rounded by armed soldiers and security personnel in Odudu, Ondo
state. According to the captain who led the operation, he had orders not
to allow the governor entry or exit.
In the meantime, the chattered aircraft that conveyed he governor has
been grounded while the minsters of Defence, police Affairs and
Minister of state for Defence have landed at the Akure airport.
The
Rivers State government is especially worried that Federal government
and President Jonathan have singled out Governor Amaechi for harassment
and attack.
While we hold the person and office of the President in utmost
regards, we believe that it is unacceptable that the presidency would
disrespect the person and office of an elected governor of a federating
unit and consistently hound him.
The Rivers state government is all more worried as Ondo saga is
coming on the heels of a plot by six PDP lawmakers this morning to carry
out a kangaroo impeachment of the duly elected governor of Rivers
State, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, con first at Krisdara hotels and
later Bauchi street, Port Harcourt.
Ordinarily such banality should be ignored as it is neither legal nor
constitutional. However in the light of the recent attempts to hoist a
Chief Judge on Rivers people through the back door and the attendant
rumours that the reason for that desperate act was to make it easier for
the PDP to actualize its sinister daydream of ousting Governor Amaechi
before May 29, 2015,
we believe that it has become necessary to draw the attention of Rivers
people, Nigerians and the international community to the situation in
Rivers State.
Only yesterday, in preparation for this tragicomedy, the Rivers State
chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Amaechi
of importing terrorists into the state and the region. They continued
their diatribe by demanding that the governor of Rivers State be put
under surveillance. The State Government wouldn’t have dignified the
PDP’s display of ignorance with a response but for the fact that these
accusations coupled with today’s actions are omniuos signs of how far
the PDP is willing to go in its quest to cling onto power by all means.
The antecedents of impunity on the part of the leadership of the PDP
are instructive and the party’s desperation to harm and stop anyone they
perceive as major threat to their crumpling electoral fortunes next
year is no longer news. The detention attempt and incident at the Kano
International Airport last week are still fresh in the minds of
Nigerians. Also, the call to put Gov Amaechi under surveillance (or is
it house arrest?) on the same day that PDP started effort to unseat the
Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency, Murtala Nyako, is enough
indication of the script already written by a jittery PDP
It is sad that the insane minds of the authors of the PDP accusation
are jeopardizing police investigations of the 486 travellers who were
intercepted in Aba, Abia State, and who are still being screened. One
only wishes that the PDP would address the issues of the insecurity in
the country with as much fervor and vigour as it deploys towards witch
hunting its political opponents
The River Government wishes to state that the world knows those who
feather the nest of cultists and militants and for whom they are canon
fodder. Governor Amaechi’s position on cultisim, violence and insecurity
are clear as is his commitment to fighting poverty and improving the
lives of our present and future generations.
The Rivers State Government will not be deterred in its efforts to
deliver good governance and ddemocratic dividends to our people.
We
appeal to all Rivers people appeals to all members of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) and citizens in the state to remain calm in
the face of these provocations.
We call on the Security Agencies to exhibit professionalism in their
conduct of affairs. We appeal to all well meaning people in Nigeria and
around the world to please call the PDP to order before they truncate
our democracy.
It appears to us that the PDP clearly have no interest in the peace and stability either Rivers state.
We
are mindful of these mischievous elements but continue to call for
tolerance and eternal vigilance. We are certain that the God who reigns
in the affairs of Rivers people will again deliver us from this evil and
terror that stalks us at noon day
Signed
Ibim Semenitari
Commissioner of Information and Communications
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