Rivers killings: Amaechi, Wike in war of words

THE feud between the Rivers State
Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and
the Governor-elect, Chief Nyesom
Wike, reached a boiling point on
Tuesday when the former accused
the latter of being responsible for
the deaths recorded in the state
during the 2015 general elections.
Amaechi had declared during a
public lecture in Port Harcourt to
mark his 50th birthday that God
would not allow a killer to be the
governor of Rivers State.
But Wike, who had attended
another public lecture in the state
capital, said he had no record of
killing anybody and expressed
displeasure that a public officer like
Amaechi could speak in manner
that was not expected of him.
Wike expressed optimism that he
would be sworn in as the governor
of the state on May 29, despite
moves by Amaechi to scuttle his
inauguration.
Speaking further, Amaechi stated
that the governor-elect should
realise that he (Wike) was his chief
of staff, adding that Wike’s record
was with him.
Explaining that he will never kill
anybody because of personal
ambition, the governor dismissed
Wike’s description of him
(Amaechi) as a corrupt person,
adding that the governor-elect was
accusing him of corruption because
he (Wike) was looking for a way to
negotiate with him (Amaechi) and
his supporters.
Amaechi said, “In a bid for Wike to
be governor, he hired …. an ex-
militant. They killed a young man in
Okrika and cut off his private parts.
They slashed a young man’s throat
and decided to hang his head on a
tree.
“When I wanted to become
governor, God took me aside and
allowed Rivers people to vote for
Celestine Omehia and He brought
me back. So, nobody died. In 2011,
the opposition joined us to vote for
us; nobody died.
“But because of one man’s
ambition, we were losing human
beings everyday. Walking like a
thug, killing people like a thug. The
God I worship will answer our
prayers. God will not allow those
who kill people to be governor of
Rivers State. God will allow only
those who worship Him. I am not
perfect.
“Even some of you pray more than
me. My priest told me God said we
would defeat Nyesom Wike. God
said so. The same way God told me
in 2007 that I would be governor.
God will not allow us to make a
killer, somebody who has killed
human beings, to become the
governor of Rivers State.
“I have been listening to Mr.
Nyesom Wike and I have been
trying not to reply him. He has been
accusing me of corruption and I
have been trying to keep quiet
over the issue of corruption. A thief
cannot call me corrupt. The first
lesson he needs to learn is that he
was Chief of Staff to my
government. If I have no records, I
have records on him.
“Why Nyesom Wike is talking the
way he is talking is that they are
looking for us to come and
negotiate with them, so that they
can illegally stay in office. They
cannot stay like that. We are
already in court (tribunal),”
Amaechi said.
Recalling how he decided not to
probe his predecessor, Dr. Peter
Odili, the governor pointed out that
the people would at the end ask
him about his achievements and
not the number of people his
administration probed.
However, Wike, who spoke through
his Media aide, Mr. Simeon
Nwakaudu, added that Amaechi’s
comment against him was an
indication that the governor was
not worthy of holding public office.
He said, “Only a man who is
irresponsible would make such a
comment. It shows that he is not
worthy of the public office he
occupies. He (Amaechi) is making
comments that are completely out
of place for people who should be
in leadership position.
“To begin with and contrary to
what Governor Amaechi said, the
governor-elect is a God-fearing
person, who believes in the rule of
law. He is not involved in any killing
and he will never be involved. He
has never done anything that is
outside of the law.
“Such unguarded comments should
be disregarded by members of the
public and well-meaning persons
just like Channels Television did
and apologised seriously to
Nigerians. Amaechi promoted
insecurity everywhere.
“God has already made it possible
for Barrister Nyesom Wike to be
governor. The people have already
endorsed it as they voted for him
massively. Amaechi is too small to
stop the will of the people. On May
29, 2015, that will would be
consummated during the
swearing-in of Barrister Nyesom
Wike.”