The governors - Babatunde Fashola
(Lagos); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Rauf Aregbesola
(Osun); and Ibikunle Amosu (Ogun) – had in their company, the deputy
governors of Imo State ( Eze Madumere); Nasarawa (Dameshi Luka),
and Muktar Ankar (Zamfara).
The visit came about two days after
youths believed to be supporters of the Minister of State for
Education, Nyesom Wike, protested a similar visit by four governors
from the North. The youths had pelted some vehicles on Amaechi’s
convoy with stones.
At the airport on Thursday, the youths
said to be members of the Ikwerre Youths Movement, ensured that no
opponent had a space to spring any surprise that could embarrass
Amaechi and his visitors, who were driven straight to the Government
House, Port Harcourt.
During their discussion, the governors
and the deputy governors, all of them from opposition political parties,
advised Amaechi to brief President Goodluck Jonathan on the dwindling
security situation in the state.
They also urged the Inspector-General
of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to restore the confidence of the
people in the state police command.
After the meeting, Fayemi told journalists that Amaechi had briefed them on the security situation in the state.
Describing Jonathan as their leader,
Fayemi stated that the situation in the state also required the moral
authority of the President to solve.
He said, “It is just to stress the
importance of our concern for the security of the citizens of Rivers
State. We have met with our brother, the Chairman of our forum (Nigeria
Governors’ Forum), Governor Amaechi.
“We had extensive discussions; he has
briefed us on the situation on the ground here (Rivers State) and we
feel very strongly that having listened to him, that it will be quite
important for him to actually go and brief Mr. President, who is our
leader and the chief security officer of this country on the very
challenging security situation here in Rivers State.
“We believe that our chairman and
brother, as the chief security officer of Rivers State, should go
and brief Mr. President on the security situation in the state.
“It is also of importance for the
police authorities, especially the IG to help in restoring the
confidence of the people of Rivers State in the Police Command here in
Rivers State.
“We believe that the IG is very well
placed to help take the necessary steps to restore the confidence of the
government, of the governor and the people and every step that is
crucial to making these possible is an aspect that we believe that Mr.
President can address.”
Fayemi explained though the National
Economic Council was holding in Abuja on Thursday (yesterday), their
presence in Rivers State did not mean the denigration of the meeting.
“We believe Mr. President, being our
leader, we are all President’s men; we are all President’ s governors,
he is our leader and we feel that he actually occupies a very critical
position that necessitates wielding his moral authority in ensuring
peace reigns here and that nobody uses him by subterfuge to create
situations that are entirely avoidable.
“The tension in Rivers State is entirely
avoidable and we want all parties to sheathe their swords and to help
restore the peace and security here.”
Also, Ankar said, “We advised him
(Amaechi) to meet with the President to discuss with him so that we can
find a way out of this crisis which is avoidable. We believe that his
meeting with the President will actually bring this crisis to an end
and strengthen democracy in Nigeria.”
But the Peoples Democratic Party in the
state and the state government differed on the visit by the opposition
parties’ governors.
While the PDP insisted that the
visit was a sign that Amaechi had moved to the opposition, the
government said that the Ikwerre-born politician was still an ardent
member of the PDP.
The PDP, in a statement signed by the
Special Adviser, Media, to the State Chairman, Mr. Jerry Needam, argued
that the solidarity visit to Amaechi had justified its petition
against the governor.
The party said, “It’s no longer hidden
that Governor Amaechi has pitched his tent with the opposition where he
belongs but only plans to destroy the PDP in Rivers State before leaving
finally.
“One clear quality of Gov Amaechi is
that he does not leave anybody in the dark as to his moves and plots as
proved by the solidarity visits of four northern governors on Tuesday,
July 16, 2013 and that of the Action Congress of Nigeria governors, the
Congress for Progressive Change governors and All Progressives Grand
Alliance governor today; Thursday, July 18, 2013 in Port Harcourt.”
But the Chief Press secretary to the Governor, Mr. David Iyofor, told The PUNCH in a telephone interview that Amaechi was still in the PDP.
Iyofor argued that since the governor
is the NGF Chairman , it was not out of place for members of the
forum to pay solidarity visit to him over the situation in the state.
Iyofor described the allegation that Amaechi had left the PDP as the handiwork of mischief makers.
He said, “The governor has not left the
PDP. Those making such a statement should realise that Amaechi is the
NGF chairman and other governors can decide to pay him a solidarity
visit because of the challenges in the state.
“Again as a governor, other governors
may want to visit him (Amaechi) as their colleague. So, the solidarity
visit by some governors today (Thursday) has nothing to do with the
Rivers State Governor leaving the PDP. He is still a member of the PDP.”
Also, the Chief of Staff, Government
House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha, recalled that PDP governors also
paid solidarity visit to Amaechi, wondering why the visit by the
opposition parties’ governors was being misinterpreted.
Okocha explained that there was nothing wrong in governors coming to the state to see the “impunity from Wike and his cohorts”.
“The governors that came to visit are
saying no to what is happening in the state. Apart from that, Nigerians
are watching and they know the reason for the crisis in the state. The
fact is that Amaechi still remains an ardent member of the PDP,” he
said.
Meanwhile, a former Head of State,
Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has described the lingering crisis in
Rivers State as unfortunate.
Abdulsalami, at an interactive session
with newsmen in Minna on Thursday , therefore advised politicians to
put a break to the crisis so that the country’s democracy would not be
truncated.
He said, “The happenings in Rivers
State are quite bad. Politicians should try to reflect on what they are
doing in order not to truncate democracy in this country. They should
check themselves. But certainly, what is happening in Rivers State is
unfortunate.”
Abubakar also spoke on the situation in
both the North and South Sudan, where he has been very much involved in
ensuring a lasting peace.
On this, he said, “We have been making
efforts and there is peace in North and South Sudan. South Sudan marked
her second independence anniversary four days ago. So we have been
involved and trying to make sure that peace reigns in these countries
and that is what we have been doing on behalf of the African Union ”.
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