Rivers State Governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi
- I cannot be intimidated on Rivers governorship, insists Wike
Ernest Chinwo
in Port Harcourt
The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the state Governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, over his verbal attack on President Goodluck Jonathan.
This came as the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, declared that he would not be intimidated in his mobilisation drive for massive support for the re-election of Jonathan and for the PDP to recapture Bricks House.
Amaechi had at a function at Degema, headquarters of Degema Local Government Area of the state last weekend, accused Jonathan of taking sides in the Soku oil well crisis between Bayelsa and Rivers State. The governor was also accused of using uncomplimentary words against the president and his wife at different functions and radio stations in Port Harcourt.
Reacting to the comments by the governor, the state chapter of PDP said: “Unwarranted name-calling, attacks and rabble-rousing comments of Amaechi against President Jonathan at a function in Port Harcourt is shameful, childish and underscores the level of Amaechi’s maturity and upbringing.”
A statement issued on behalf of the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, by his Media Adviser, Mr. Jerry Needam, also said by his comments, Amaechi had demeaned the exalted office of the governor and exposed himself as one with a loose mouth.
The statement also said, “The PDP regrets that Amaechi has been instigating the people of Kalabari Kingdom to take up arms against the federal government and promote hatred against the person of President Jonathan who is an Ijaw son over the Soku oil wells and wondered if he believes peaceful resolution of conflicts.
“Besides, the fact that Amaechi’s comments and actions are contraventions of the electoral act on campaigns ahead of the 2015 general election, his comments are also very provocative, confrontational and subversive against the person and office of the president and the PDP.
“We hereby condemn the synchronised and methodical attacks on the person and office of President Jonathan, his wife and first lady of Nigeria and the PDP.”
Obuah said the PDP would resist “any attempt by Amaechi to continuously slander, insult and undermine the office and person of President Jonathan.”
“The PDP hereby warns Amaechi for the umpteenth time to desist from insulting the president or prepare to face the consequences, which might be very grave,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wike has said he would not be intimidated in his mobilisation of support for Jonathan ahead of the 2015 elections.
Wike spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt when his kinsmen of Apara kingdom paid him a solidarity visit to urge him to contest for the governorship of the state in the 2015 elections.
He accused Amaechi of using the electronic media to rain abuses on Jonathan and his family and said that showed the governor had lost his track.
“What is important in government is not for you to use your position to abuse people, it is for you to tell your people what you have while in office,” he said.
The minister insisted that Jonathan had performed creditably in spite of challenges the country had faced.
His words: “So I want to advise you that it has been said and we want to prove in 2015 that PDP is still on ground as far as Rivers State is concerned.
“What is important is that all of us can see that since the independence of this country, nobody has had the kind of challenges Mr. President has had. Yet, in spite of these challenges, Mr. President has continued to be committed and passionate about the development of this country.
“He has shown that it takes humility and calm for you to handle a complex country like Nigeria. Forget about people going to radios and televisions to abuse the president and his wife. The only way you can retaliate is to tell them they cannot get our votes. We are not going to the radios and television stations to abuse anybody. The only way we will abuse you is through our votes.
“So if you like, go to all the radio and television stations, abuse Mr. President, abuse his wife, abuse all of us.”
Advising the people, he said: “Do not bother yourselves, do not go to fight; the only weapon you have is come 2015 use your voters card and tell the man that government is not by abusing, government is not by insulting elders: government is by really obeying the rules, respect the traditional institutions.”
He assured the people that the PDP would still win in the state and asked them to continue to support the party.
On the governorship ticket of the PDP in Rivers State, Wike, who was asked by his kinsmen to run for the position, said at the appropriate time the party would decide who its candidate would be.
“About who will be the PDP governorship candidate, don’t worry yourself. Leave that alone for us. The leaders and elders of the party will decide on who and they know who they will decide,” Wike said.
in Port Harcourt
The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the state Governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, over his verbal attack on President Goodluck Jonathan.
This came as the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, declared that he would not be intimidated in his mobilisation drive for massive support for the re-election of Jonathan and for the PDP to recapture Bricks House.
Amaechi had at a function at Degema, headquarters of Degema Local Government Area of the state last weekend, accused Jonathan of taking sides in the Soku oil well crisis between Bayelsa and Rivers State. The governor was also accused of using uncomplimentary words against the president and his wife at different functions and radio stations in Port Harcourt.
Reacting to the comments by the governor, the state chapter of PDP said: “Unwarranted name-calling, attacks and rabble-rousing comments of Amaechi against President Jonathan at a function in Port Harcourt is shameful, childish and underscores the level of Amaechi’s maturity and upbringing.”
A statement issued on behalf of the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, by his Media Adviser, Mr. Jerry Needam, also said by his comments, Amaechi had demeaned the exalted office of the governor and exposed himself as one with a loose mouth.
The statement also said, “The PDP regrets that Amaechi has been instigating the people of Kalabari Kingdom to take up arms against the federal government and promote hatred against the person of President Jonathan who is an Ijaw son over the Soku oil wells and wondered if he believes peaceful resolution of conflicts.
“Besides, the fact that Amaechi’s comments and actions are contraventions of the electoral act on campaigns ahead of the 2015 general election, his comments are also very provocative, confrontational and subversive against the person and office of the president and the PDP.
“We hereby condemn the synchronised and methodical attacks on the person and office of President Jonathan, his wife and first lady of Nigeria and the PDP.”
Obuah said the PDP would resist “any attempt by Amaechi to continuously slander, insult and undermine the office and person of President Jonathan.”
“The PDP hereby warns Amaechi for the umpteenth time to desist from insulting the president or prepare to face the consequences, which might be very grave,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wike has said he would not be intimidated in his mobilisation of support for Jonathan ahead of the 2015 elections.
Wike spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt when his kinsmen of Apara kingdom paid him a solidarity visit to urge him to contest for the governorship of the state in the 2015 elections.
He accused Amaechi of using the electronic media to rain abuses on Jonathan and his family and said that showed the governor had lost his track.
“What is important in government is not for you to use your position to abuse people, it is for you to tell your people what you have while in office,” he said.
The minister insisted that Jonathan had performed creditably in spite of challenges the country had faced.
His words: “So I want to advise you that it has been said and we want to prove in 2015 that PDP is still on ground as far as Rivers State is concerned.
“What is important is that all of us can see that since the independence of this country, nobody has had the kind of challenges Mr. President has had. Yet, in spite of these challenges, Mr. President has continued to be committed and passionate about the development of this country.
“He has shown that it takes humility and calm for you to handle a complex country like Nigeria. Forget about people going to radios and televisions to abuse the president and his wife. The only way you can retaliate is to tell them they cannot get our votes. We are not going to the radios and television stations to abuse anybody. The only way we will abuse you is through our votes.
“So if you like, go to all the radio and television stations, abuse Mr. President, abuse his wife, abuse all of us.”
Advising the people, he said: “Do not bother yourselves, do not go to fight; the only weapon you have is come 2015 use your voters card and tell the man that government is not by abusing, government is not by insulting elders: government is by really obeying the rules, respect the traditional institutions.”
He assured the people that the PDP would still win in the state and asked them to continue to support the party.
On the governorship ticket of the PDP in Rivers State, Wike, who was asked by his kinsmen to run for the position, said at the appropriate time the party would decide who its candidate would be.
“About who will be the PDP governorship candidate, don’t worry yourself. Leave that alone for us. The leaders and elders of the party will decide on who and they know who they will decide,” Wike said.
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