Nigeria Drifting Towards Dangerous Waterfall -Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday described Nigeria as a country drifting towards a dangerous waterfall.

 *Gov, Amaechi

 

Amaechi also declared that the celebration of Nigeria’s Centenary was unnecessary as a result of the killings of students and other innocent Nigerians by members of the Boko Haram sect.

 

 

The governor, who spoke while addressing members of the State House of Assembly on the state of the nation, queried the rationale behind such celebration when Nigerians were living in fear of hired assassins and armed robbers.

 

Amaechi observed that Abuja residents, who were expected to have being the chief hosts at the centenary celebration, were at various petrol stations struggling to fill their tanks.

 

 

He criticized the Federal Government for giving Nigerians a false impression about the country’s economy and added that the citizens could feel the tremor of Nigeria’s wobbling economy.

 

 

Amaechi pointed out that Nigerians appeared to have lost the appetite to celebrate anything, even as he queried the legacy that would be left behind for the next generation.

 

 

He said, “What do our people feel and see when they get out of their houses in the morning? Sadly as leaders, we must admit the truth, which stares us in the face. It is the fact that our country is drifting perceptibly into a dangerous waterfall.

 

 

“Even in Abuja, most Nigerians who ordinarily would have been the chief celebrants (chief hosts) went about their daily chores while the others struggled at petrol stations trying to fill their tanks almost completely oblivious of the trappings of what should have been a grand announcement of our coming of age.

 

 

“Gradually but noticeably, Nigerians appear to have lost the appetite to celebrate anything. Embedded in our newfound affinity for low key celebration and an infinite state of somber reflection is the true state of the nation.

 

 

“Can we really celebrate when our children are being slaughtered while at school? Can we really celebrate when our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters are being slaughtered like chickens?

 

 

“Can we really celebrate when our fellow citizens live in constant and growing fear of kidnappers, hired assassins and armed robbers? Can we really celebrate when those constitutionally empowered to protect us turn their fury on us?

 

 

“In these questions lies the state of the nation. Where is the country headed? Where will the country be in another hundred years? What legacy are we leaving behind for our children?”

 

 

Explaining that no economic revolution could be achieved on candle lights or power generating sets, Amaechi said the current economic system of the country was breeding inequality.

 

 

The governor also observed that Nigeria was in a near state of coma due to the activities of oil thieves and robbers of crude oil revenue belonging to the nation.

 

 

According to him, “While Nigeria bleeds and is in a near a state of coma from crude oil thieves and thieves of crude oil money, this administration tells us fairy tales of a strong economy.

 

 

“While we feel the unmistakable tremors of a wobbling economy, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy continues to sing loudly to disguise the stuttering of an economy that is about to break down.

 

 

“While millions of our young ones are roaming the streets, this administration feeds us with the tales of burger flipping jobs it has created through its ‘Sure-P’ and ‘You Win’ programmes.

 

 

“While students around the world are in school bracing up for the mind twisting challenges of the 21st Century, our polytechnic students are at home wondering whether they will ever go back to school. Their counterparts in our universities just returned to school after spending six months at home.”

 

 

“When will this administration understand that no economic revolution has been done on power of candle lights and ‘I pass my neighbor generators?’. When will this administration understand that an economic system that breeds inequality is raking hot coal in its bosom?”

 

 

Amaechi, however, lamented the Federal Government had refused to act over the allegations of corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

 

 

“One is at sea over the confusion among key members of this administration about the account of our state of affairs. In what serious country would you see a commanding height institution such as the NNPC trapped in an infinitely revolving door of accusations of corruption?

 

 

“Yet those whose responsibility it is to act simply look on as if under a spell or simply couldn’t be bothered,” the governor stated further. 

Rivers PDP Gives Amaechi 72-Hours To Secure Release Of Kidnapped Members

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has accused the State Government of being behind the abduction of a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Chinyere Igwe and two other chieftains of the PDP.

Igwe, who represented Port Harcourt 11 Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011, was kidnapped with Chairman of the PDP in Port Harcourt City Local Council Area, Mr. Ikechi Chinda and Mr. Allwell Ihunda, at the Eagle Island area of Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Wednesday night.

As at the time of filing this report, the kidnappers have not made any contact.

The PDP Chairman in Rivers, Mr. Felix Obuah accused Governor Chibuike Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of masterminding the abduction of his three members.

Speaking with reporters in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Thursday, Obuah claimed that Amaechi’s agitation for the redeployment of the former state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, was primarily aimed at intimidating and oppressing his perceived opponents.

Obuah, who described the abduction of the party chieftains, by unknown gunmen as malicious, vindictive and well organised, warned that the PDP would mobilise the people of the state to embark on a mother-of-all protests against the governor if he failed to secure the release of the kidnap victims in the next 72 hours.

“After a very careful examination of the circumstances surrounding the abduction of our party leaders, the party believes that it was masterminded by Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the state. We are shocked that Governor Amaechi is playing politics with the security of lives and property in the state, thereby branding his political opponents his worst enemies. It has now become very clear that Amaechi’s consistent and sustained propaganda for the redeployment of the former Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mbu Joseph Mbu, was for him to intimidate and oppress his perceived and imagined political opponents as witnessed by the abduction of Chinda, Igwe and Ihunda”, he said.

The PDP chairman further urged the state government to urgently ensure that the three abducted party members are released unharmed. He said as a political party, the PDP would by no means tolerate the oppression or victimisation of any of its members for whatever political reason.

“We give Governor Amaechi 72 hours to ensure that the abducted PDP members are released unhurt. At the expiration of that time, the PDP shall mobilise its members and the good citizens of the state to stage the mother-of-all protests against Governor Amaechi’s terrorist tactics”, he said.

But the Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ms. Ibim Semenitari, has dismissed the allegation and instead castigated the PDP for being insensitive to the extent of playing politics with the lives of its members.

Semenitari said the state government condemns the abduction and has pleaded with the Police Command to expeditiously work towards securing their release unharmed.

However, the Publicity Secretary of the state APC, Mr. Andy Nweye, has berated the PDP for linking the governor and APC to the abduction of the three politicians.

“The truth is very clear; the APC has never been volatile. We have never believed in violence in this business. We are never and will never be involved in such things, so we condemn the kidnap. What we are praying is for peace to reign in Rivers State so that we can express ourselves and carry out our programmes. So, we are not involved and we can never be involved. It is not part of us and it will never be part of our programme”, he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ahmed Mohammad, could not be reached to get his reaction to the development.