By Simeon Nwakaudu
I want to state very early as they say in our local parlance that originally, ‘e no concern me’. But as a political commentator, I have been compelled to, ‘put my mouth for wetin no concern me’.
By that as it may, let me risk the insults of a faction of Rivers APC controlled by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and make my personal views known on the charade that took place on Saturday, July 29, 2017. The APC called it Local Governmemt Congresses.
All through Saturday, several media organisations posted reports on how the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi used personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and imported militants with active connivance of the APC National Secretariat to divert congress materials to Novotel, a popular hotel in Port Harcourt.
The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District and the Member Representing Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo Federal Constituency, Dr Barry Mpigi were amongst thousands of APC members who marched, both to the Party Secretariat at Forces Avenue and Novotel to protest this treacherous act.
Senator Magnus Abe told journalists at the APC State Secretariat in Port Harcourt: “Well as you can see there has been no Congress in the state. The so called stakeholders meeting in the state on Friday ended in a fiasco. The committee from the national have not come to the party’s secretariat on Forces Avenue since morning yet people have been here waiting for Nobody should stay in a hotel and use any list for Rivers people. It is clear there was no Congress in the state. What ever has been done will not stand “
While the APC supporters trapped the crooks sent from the National Secretariat to conduct the Local Government Congress at Novotel, Amaechi and his cohorts churned out lists of concocted results from.the 23 Local Government Areas.
The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a confirmed rigging expert. Since he lost his political relevance in Rivers State his only tool has been rigging.
With a huge financial war-chest, Amaechi can purchase anyone with a weak conscience . It was with his financial capacity that he bought himself a place in the non-performing APC through the sponsorship of candidates. Using ill-gotten wealth, he was able to procure the services of the APC National Secretariat and a pliant section of the media.
Amaechi is only loyal to himself. He is not loyal to friends, neither is he loyal to his community or state. To satisfy himself, he can betray anyone or group, irrespective of your contributions to his growth and wellbeing.
If you think I am lying, ask Former President Goodluck Jonathan, ask Former Governor Peter Odili, ask Governor Nyesom Wike, ask Rivers people. Of recent, ask Senator Magnus Abe, ask Dr Barry Mpigi or Chief Allwell Onyesoh. These gentlemen will tell you how they were betrayed.
The Rivers people will tell you several stories of Amaechi’s treachery. How he betrayed them on the altar of development, imposing on them the rags of under-development after collecting over N3trillion during his eight years as governor.
Rivers people will explain to you how Amaechi has betrayed them by using their resources to sponsor security agencies to kill and maim innocent people during deliberately triggered endless rerun elections , while de-marketing the state state through sponsored negative media campaigns.
If you care to ask, you will hear baffling stories of how he betrayed the entire Niger Delta with the claim that Jonathan is not his brother, while foisting the five percent appellation on his people.
On December 10, 2016, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi connived with external elements to unleash the worst form of violence on the people of Rivers State. Using his position as the chief sponsor of the APC, he compelled the deployment of over 50000 security personnel, alpha jets, helicopter gunships, armoured personnel carriers, gunboats, police dogs, horses and drones for the purpose of political robbery.
When Rivers people resisted the robbery of their mandate, these imported security personnel spilled their blood. That was the height of treachery. Even the king of treachery, the Biblical Judas would Judas would envy the skill deployed by his successor-in-chief.
I sympathise with members of the Rivers APC who Amaechi betrayed in the course of the Local Government Congress of their party. In as much as this act of betrayal is painful, it is nowhere near the damage that Amaechi’s December 10, 2016 treachery did to the entire state.
Treachery is Amaechi’s nature. It is his being. He will always betray people as that is what gives him sadistic pleasure . Just as you cannot stop a dog from barking, so you cannot stop Amaechi from being treacherous.
The brazen and crude manner that he manipulated the Rivers APC Local Government Congress exposes the truth of the Rivers political situation. Here is a man who adopts extreme political methods, but buys positive media coverage to conceal his crimes against his people.
The lack of internal democracy in APC confirms the party’s hypocrisy. They have never practised sincere politics. For them, the highest bidder is always the best man for the job.
