Why Rivers quakes over Amaechi’s ministerial nomination

It is clear why everybody in Rivers State either wants Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to become minister or be stopped at all cost, though most Nigerians may not understand. Amaechi, immediate past governor of the state, is loved or hated with passion in the Niger Delta region right now. He led the charge for the dethronement of the first Niger Delta son to be president (though the man who acted father to the former president has also jumped ship). Amaechi has also proved too difficult to kill in many political battles. Nigerians may even be amazed that the daggers drawn against the man who delivered ‘Change’ to Nigeria come from his home state, Rivers.

Truth is, the biggest business in Port Harcourt at the moment is ‘Amaechi and ministerial position’; either to stop or to propel him. The next may be the issue of whether or not election was held in Rivers State on April 11, 2015, an issue that is before a tribunal.

Most Nigerians may be buying the dummy of assessing the ministerial nominees in terms of cleanliness or ability to perform, but in the case of Amaechi, many in Rivers State believe that his becoming a minister has everything to do with the political supremacy in the state. At the moment, the entire political family in the state has divided into People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress containers, or Nyesom Wike versus Amaechi camps, but none of the camps seems in full control of Rivers State at the moment.

Most Nigerians would hardly understand why Amaechi, who allegedly used his position as governor to make Wike minister would face fierce resistance from Wike. They would also hardly understand how George Sekibo, said to be made third term senator by Amaechi (to Wike’s chagrin then) would be the one leading the stop-Amaechi frontier force in the Senate. These things have their reasons because tides do change, and they live near the tide.

Wike now control the Brick House (seat of power) in Port Harcourt while Amaechi’s APC occupies Aso Rock. Many analysts therefore, argue that Amaechi occupying a ministerial position would count as two against one, plus the possibility of a re-run governorship election in the state. It therefore, seems that control of ultimate force in the state would depend on Amaechi’s fate in the Senate, hence, the final showdown going on.
Police averts street fights:

It took the loud bark of the police authorities in Port Harcourt last Monday to avert a clash in the name of ‘peaceful’ demonstrations. This once led to the closure of the Rivers State House of Assembly through daily fighting and street clashes. “The Rivers State Police Commissioner of Police has uncovered clandestine moves by two opposing groups to stage a protest in Port Harcourt purposely to express their support or opposition to the ministerial nomination of Amaechi by President Muhammadu Buhari.

From buddies to bullies:

Amaechi and Wike were buddies and close political allies up till the Supreme Court victory that made Amaechi to win (in the Supreme Court) an election he did not contest. Both men compensated each other until Wike as minister joined the Jonathan camp at a time Amaechi was believed to be rocking the boat. Wike was said to have taken over the command to return Jonathan; but to achieve this, Amaechi had to be bruised. Wike knew Amaechi’s weaknesses and seemed to exploit it.

Mutually assured destruction:

Political observers insist that Wike is not the only one throwing arrows; Amaechi, too throws. Amaechi had vowed that Wike would not be governor. When Wike won, Amaechi was believed to have gone to any length (and still does) to stop the swearing in, or the stay in office. When both men became antagonists while Wike was minister, Amaechi also threw all the mud available to pressure Jonathan to drop him, apparently aware that Wike with power and money was dangerous to any opponent.

So, when Wike survived all of that with the unflinching support of the then first family, and clinched power, he seemed to move fast to begin to hurl his own bricks and brimstones from the Brick House. Wike too seems to know that should Amaechi also climb into the seat, he (Wike) had occupied, and begins to also enjoy the warmth he (Wike) enjoyed with the new first family; it would be dreadful for any opponent too. Both camps seem to know all of this. An analyst asked, what would happen if Amaechi becomes minister while Wike loses at the tribunal and has to face a re-run, with electoral and security apparatus in an enemy’s hand?

The APC daily weeps that Wike with presidential warmth used INEC, the police, army, etc, to hijack victory in April. Is there any assurance therefore, that if Amaechi coils into that same privilege in a re-run battle; that what happened to the APC would not happen to the PDP? This seems to be the crux of the matter, not whether Amaechi was a true Rivers man or not, whether Amaechi could perform or not, etc.

The huddles on Amaechi’s way:

The battle to stop Amaechi seemed to start far before the list was hatched. Just as Amaechi sought severally to obtain a judicial indictment on Wike to knock him off for at least 10 years (a style both men used on their enemies when they were allies), Wike too moved into action by setting up a judicial panel to probe Amaechi. This matter went to courts.

Also, there was an alleged media war. The APC once cried out that a multi-billion naira media campaign had been commissioned to blackmail Amaechi in documentaries, advertorials, articles, etc. Soon, a list emerged from ‘America’ about $757million in a foreign account. Amaechi vehemently denied this. Next, several petitions were drafted as integrity groups sprang up. This seemed to delay the list but later, Amaechi’s name slipped in.

So far, since the list leaked right from New York, the state has known no other word. The seat of power in Port Harcourt began by saying Wike had no interest in Amaechi’s nomination. Opunabo Inko-Tariah, senior special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, had stated thus: “It is not only spurious, but fatuous and malicious. Governor Wike has no cause to orchestrate a protest against the appointment of Rotimi Amaechi. There are crucial issues the governor is more concerned with which are issues of the state and not trifles like the appointment of Amaechi.” Few seemed to believe it, and what happened next seemed to point to the true state of affairs.

The controversial Omereji Commission of Inquiry probing Amaechi quickly submitted an interim report where Wike made it clear that he would not be intimidated into not starting action on his former boss as was recommended by Omereji.

This was in apparent response by the plea by Omereji thus: “I plead with Your Excellency to read the report and act fast, so that you can help recover the stolen billions that are still stashed where the thieves kept them. The money belongs to the people of Rivers State and should be used by them.” The commission was said to have received 27 memoranda, 142 exhibits, and 25 witnesses.

The N53billion hefty label

Now, it has emerged that the state is looking for N53billion from Amaechi as what the Omereji panel uncovered. This is the size of the obstacle before the ex-governor, or what he must ‘pay’ to be cleared.

In the heat of the fierce arrows from Wike to his ribs, Amaechi had stormed Port Harcourt in a show of strength and asked his supporters to either return the verbal fire or he would do it himself, probably taking collateral damage. His men responded.

Solidarity from APC:

On October 5, a day before the list was unveiled on the floor of the Senate, the state’s APC reacted with joy to the news of the nomination, describing it as a ‘fitting independence anniversary gift by the Nigerian leader to Rivers State and her people, according to a statement signed by the chairman, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya.

He said: “With the listing of Amaechi, despite all the manipulations, witch-hunting and other evil plots, we are elated that, once more, good has prevailed over evil, God over devil, Amaechi over wickedness, light over darkness, patriotism over nepotism. We are proud that Buhari did not allow the propaganda by Wike and his cohorts to sway him from the fact that Amaechi is a man that he can trust any day and anytime.”

Another strong voice, the former chief of staff in the Government House in the Peter Odili days, Emeh Glory Emeh, cautioned the Wike-led government in the state to be careful on how it handled the nomination of a true son and former governor of the state. Emeh described Amaechi as a rare gift from God to the people of the state who need to be appreciated rather than be vilified. He cautioned that those who touch the Lord’s anointed stand the risk of being visited with the wrath of God. “There should be an end to this primitive rat chasing”.

Why Amaechi APC must remain relevant in Rivers

Many wonder if the president should not simply appoint another Rivers son or daughter and end the acrimony. Those in the APC believe that only Amaechi would muster enough force to stop the PDP in the state; or that striping Amaechi of powers and privileges would lay him bare to Wike’s fangs. These seem to be the same arguments the PDP put up in insisting on Wike as governorship candidate.

Others believe that Amaechi occupies a place of pride in Buhari’s heart and sending another person to Abuja would knock the state out of the kitchen cabinet. Besides, many APC and some other less-politically tainted persons in the state hope on Amaechi for link and appointments at the centre. Some play to the gallery to still remain appointable both in the Wike and Amaechi camps. For now, the state is pregnant.

The new trick

The latest development that the Senate has left it to endorsements from two senators in each state may be another twist, and sign that enemies were still at work. The APC had once accused Wike camp of preparing two prongs of attack; one to stop Buhari from seeing Amaechi in good light, the other to rubbish him at screening stage, if he wriggled through the first tar-line.

Others point to Amaechi ‘cat with seven lives,’ and his ability to pull through any battle, despite amazing bruises. “His enemies hit him hard; in turn, he never spares anyone thereafter”, an APC source said last week in Port Harcourt.

Aluta Continua!

Little wonder Amaechi turned down an appeal from his bishop in May this year, for the sake of peace, urging the Catholic cleric to allow his camp to first obtain justice and come back to seek peace, “because there can be no peace without justice”. This, to many, is evidence that the end of Rivers political crisis is never in sight, except God springs a surprise, for the sake of the fatigued masses.