Amaechi: I Won’t Be Deterred By Threats To Arrest Me After My Tenure

FROM LEFT: WIFE OF GOVERNOR OF RIVERS, DAME JUDITH AMAECHI; GOV. CHIBUIKE AMAECHI AND FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, AT THE INAUGURATION OF ST. ANDREW PRIMARY SCHOOL MILE 1 DIOBU, IN PORT HARCOURT

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has dismissed the threat by the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, that he (Amaechi) will be arrested after Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has been declared as president for a second term in 2015.

Speaking during the inauguration and handing over of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP branded buses to the 23 local government areas of the state on Friday, Wike said they had gotten wind of plans by the governor to flee the state once his tenure elapses next year.

But according to him, “Once the Independent National Electoral Commission announces the victory of President Jonathan, we will immediately shut down the Port Harcourt International Airport and all land and sea borders in Rivers State to prevent Governor Amaechi from escaping”.

But Amaechi, who remained defiant, said he would continue to speak against decisions of the Federal Government under President Jonathan as long as such decisions were against the interest of the people of the state.

The governor, who made this known on Saturday through his Chief of Staff Mr Tony Okocha, alleged that Wike was speaking the mind of the president.

He, however, stated his readiness to vote for President Jonathan come 2015 if Soku oil wells that were ceded to Bayelsa State were returned to Rivers.

Amaechi noted that though he was unaware of plans to humiliate him if the president won a second term in office next year, there was no doubt that the minister was speaking Jonathan’s mind.

He said, “I presume Wike is speaking the president’s mind. Nothing will stop me from fighting for the right and interest of the people of Rivers State. The people and residents of Rivers State are my primary constituency and I have sworn on oath to protect their interests”.

DEFECTION FROM APC TO PDP in sokotoJonathan Receives Bafarawa in Half-Empty Square

From left: Vice President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan and National PDP Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, acknowledging cheers from the crowd during the defection ceremony of Attahiru Bafarawa from APC to PDP in Sokoto on Saturday

President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, and other PDP bigwigs in the country including its National chairman, PDP Governors ministers stormed Sokoto yesterday to formally receive former Sokoto Governor Attahiru Bafarawa who recently dumped the All Progressives Congress for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).. Says, PDP’ll win in 2015

The event took place at the Shehu Kangiwa Square, the usual venue for political activities in Sokoto. Though the event was attended by some PDP governors from across the country, our reporters noted that the crowd that welcomed President Jonathan to Sokoto fell short of expectations, as the square was half-empty.

The crowd from Sokoto was heavily complemented by supporters of the PDP  who attended the function from Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Kebbi States. They accompanied PDP governors or deputy governors to receive Bafarawa into their fold. However, there was tight security in Sokoto, as soldiers and policemen were posted to strategic locations all over the city, while a helicopter hovered in the sky around the venue throughout the period the reception lasted.
Former President Shehu Shagari was among those who received President Goodluck Jonathan and his entourage at the Sultan Abubakakar III international Airport, Sokoto.
In his address, President Jonathan expressed gratitude to the people of the state for receiving him warmly, saying it was a reassurance that the people would go with the PDP in the next elections.
Despite the gale of defections from PDP, the president asserted that the party remained stable and unshaken. He said, “This is the only party that can lead Nigeria now; this is the only party that is now very steady. In PDP, there’s no shaking.”
He described PDP as the symbol of democracy in Nigeria, saying that’s why even those who were not in partisan politics believe in the PDP. According to him, it is only PDP that can stabilize the country.
He added that PDP “has been undergoing changes; other parties are still evolving. We don’t know what they would change to, but PDP is stable at all levels and we promise PDP would continue to give leadership in this country.”
On Bafarawa’s defection to the PDP, he asserted that, ”Today, we did not come to Sokoto state to  campaign  for any position, but to reassure our great followers  and, indeed, the great country that PDP is still united; PDP is still the party to beat. It is still the party that can lead this country to where we want to go.”
Jonathan said with Bafarawa joining  the PDP  along with  his supporters,   Sokoto  State Deputy Governor Mukhtari  Shagari and other strong politicians  in PDP, Sokoto state is for PDP.
He declared, “In Sokoto State now, we are waiting for the next elections; we’ll deliver PDP in all elections. We want to use Sokoto State as an example to show all others that PDP is still the main party in this country; PDP will continue to be the major party in Nigeria.”
The National Chairman of the party, Dr Adamu Muazu, described PDP as a party of Nigerians, that it is synonymous with the development of Nigeria.  He said, “It is a party to beat in the next 60 years. I assure you our party is growing from strength to strength, day to day.”
He disclosed that after due consultation with all stakeholders, they are going to come out with very effective programme that will enhance the quality of their manifesto for them to perform very well: “The light that we have cannot be hidden; no propaganda can put it off. No amount of blackmail can put it off. Those who outside now I urge them to see the light before it is too late.
Also speaking the governor of Akwa Ibom State, who is also Chairman PDP Governors Forum, expressed appreciation to former President Shagari. Akpabio, like other speakers, asserted that PDP would do it again in 2015, adding that the 2015 elections would be defined, not by propaganda, but by the legacies that PDP has left behind since assumption of office.
Earlier while welcoming the president the states Deputy Governor, Muktari, praised the president for the support for his Almajiri school system, saying, “This shows that you  as the president of Nigeria; you are not concerned about the tribe of anybody, but you are concerned that we are all Nigerians, you did not even care whether the children who go to this schools are Muslims; you did your duty as the president of Nigeria.”
Former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa for whom the gathering was called, assured the president that he and his supporters would work for Jonathan’s victory in 2015.  He said, ”Mr. President, as far as Sokoto is concerned, go and sleep. You don’t have any problem. We have been winning elections, but we have been rigged out. But now that we are back to PDP which I believe, there is no other party that will get councillorship seat in Sokoto, come 2015, except PDP.”

PDP crisis: Muazu meets with IBB, Niger Governor Aliyu

Muazu

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu,took his reconciliatory mission to Minna,yesterday, conferring    with former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida.

He also met with Governor Babangida  Aliyu.

With Mu’azu  on the  Minna trip were 14 other top ranking PDP members including  the PDP National Youth Leader, Alhaji Abdullahi Maibasera, former  House of  Representatves Speaker Ghali Na’aba and the state PDP acting chairman, Mr. Tanko Beji.

However,all members of Mu’azu’s entourage were excused from the meeting with General Babangida to enable the duo have a private and confidential chat.

The PDP national chairman and his team drove into Babangida’s premises at about 12:05pm, and immediately  commenced discussion  with the ex-military ruler.

The meeting  lasted till 1:05pm.

General Babangida declined to talk to newsmen at the end of the meeting.

“I am not going to say a word. I am not talking,” he told reporters who had gathered at his residence.

The PDP national chairman however said that he was in Minna   in furtherance of  his reconciliatory initiative.

He said:”I am here in continuation of my visit to our elders and I had a fruitful meeting with the former President. It was a fruitful meeting.”

He gave no details of their discussion.

He merely said:”What we discussed is not meant  for public consumption. All I can say is that we had a fruitful discussion”.

Mu’azu’s entourage  later left for the private residence of Governor  Aliyu for another meeting which lasted twenty minutes.

2015: Akwa Ibom No-Go Area For APC – Akpabio

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday threw his weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term ambition and called on the President to declare his 2015 intention now without further delay.

Akpabio, who is the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, PDPGF, made the call in Abuja when he visited the new national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu in his office at the Wadata Plaza national headquarters of the party.

While promising to deliver to the President all the delegate votes from his state, just like he did during the party’s 2011 presidential primaries, Akpabio also warned that Akwa Ibom is a no-go area for other political parties in 2015.

“We have no doubt and that is why we came to let you know that in Akwa Ibom PDP, there is no shaking. We would deliver the presidency.

“Akwa Ibom is intact for the PDP and it is a no go area for other political parties”, Akpabio said.

He added: “We did it in 2011 and I assure Mr. President that Akwa Ibom will do it again. We were the first set in 2010 to announce our support for him to go for his first tenure in 2011.

“We did that and other states followed. We are again the first state in 2014 to urge Mr. President to go back for a second term in office.

“We are a monolithic group in Akwa Ibom, although you may have one or two people who want to test the political waters here and there”, he added.

Information Nigeria reports that although Mr. Jonathan has deployed delay tactics over his reelection bid, his body language over time and the various support groups springing up calling on him to throw his hat in the ring, has continued to reinforce the general belief and suspicion among party chieftains that he might be scheming to clinch the 2015 presidential ticket of his party.