In this interview, the Governor of Rivers State,
Rotimi Amaechi, speaks on the national convention
of the All Progressives Congress, release of his
aircraft, among sundry issues. JOHN ALECHENU
reports
Did you reach any agreement with the Federal
Government before your aircraft was released?
There was nothing like that. I didn’t even see any
Federal Government official; we didn’t even have
any meeting. I just called one person. It was not
this plane they were interested in releasing, but the
helicopters. I said I wanted to sell the helicopters
and the person I called offered to talk to the
President to seek the approval for the helicopters
and they got the approval.
And in the course of getting approval for the
helicopters, they got approval for the plane to be
released. There was no negotiation, no interface or
whatsoever other than the telephone conversation.
So, what is all this rumour that I’m going to the
Peoples Democratic Party? I have finished with the
PDP.
The position of your party on the Ekiti State
governorship election is a bit confusing. While the
incumbent governor has conceded defeat and
congratulated his opponent, some APC leaders are
saying they will go to court…
They didn’t say they would go to court on the
election. It was Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who said the
election is beyond just the voting; that the process
of election is part of an election. It is the issue of
military intervention, which is what the PDP intends
to use for the 2015 elections – to employ military
men as part of the electioneering process – so, you
would be having an unfair election, where APC
supporters would be chased away by the military.
That is why I said what we have is a diarchy and
not a democracy – government by both the military
and the civilian.
Was there military intervention?
Look at Ekiti, they stopped APC governors from
coming in; leaders of the APC were arrested. A
senator’s father was beaten up and other things
happened. That is military intervention; people
would be scared to come out because they don’t
know what the military would do.
But there was heavy military presence in Edo State
during the last governorship election in the state.
I wasn’t in Edo State. The PDP and the APC didn’t
complain. But this one, I was there.
Initially, during the Edo governorship election,
Governor Adams Oshiomhole complained of heavy
military presence but when the election went in his
way, the story changed.
I am not in the position to answer that question
because in this case, it was very glaring that APC
members were arrested. Why are people
pretending? There was one instance where
Channels Television showed live about 20 persons
that were carried away. And Channels TV said they
didn’t know the reason why the military took them
away when they came to vote. Channels TV showed
it live and I watched it.
An online news portal quoted you as saying how
bitter you were after the APC national convention.
Were you betrayed by your party’s national leader,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu?
That is total fabrication. The convention ended
around 5am and by 6am, I was at the airport
looking for a ticket to go to the UK. So, when was
the interview? I played a prominent role at the APC
convention. I was part of the process through which
the man (John Odigie-Oyegun) emerged. I was
among those making peace, going to people and
begging people that we should allow peace because
we want to make sure that we have a platform to
confront the PDP. So, how did this interview take
place? I was in the UK.
So you were not bitter that your candidate did not
emerge as the national chairman at the convention?
No, I asked my candidate to step down. We were in
a meeting from Thursday night till 5am on Friday
and I woke up by 6am to continue my appeal to
people not to confront the party; that we should
listen to the party and get a structure. I was the
person and even Asiwaju was resting in his place
when I was going round.
There is also an insinuation that you were planning
to run with Aminu Tambuwal?
There was nothing like that. These are fabrications.
Why did you ask your candidate at the APC
convention to step down?
I asked my candidate to step down because I had
given my commitment to Asiwaju that I would
support whichever candidate he supported. And the
reason I gave him my commitment was because I
had said to him that we needed to look at this issue
of being a Muslim party. So, we first needed to get a
new chairman and he has to be a Christian. So, he
said to me, “Okay, I have brought a Christian in
accordance to what you said the day we were
negotiating things. Then, why are you now asking
somebody to run against the person based on the
promise you made to me?” And I like to keep
promises.
So, you made your promise to Asiwaju and not the
party?
Asiwaju is not the party. Asiwaju may have an
interest in supporting a particular candidate just like
other people will have their own candidate. There
was Timipre Sylva supported by other persons.
Don’t forget that Sylva ran up till the convention
ground but when Asiwaju had convinced some
governors and other people, he saw what was going
on and said I hereby step down.
Maybe he didn’t want his name to be announced at
the podium to have been beaten. But for me, don’t
forget that I said I didn’t campaign to anybody about
Sam Jaja or anybody. I only said if my promise was
not called to question, which had to do with my
integrity, probably I would have supported openly.
Another election will hold in Osun in a few weeks,
what is your party doing to avert disaster?
You will help us to tell the President to keep the
soldiers in his house. All of us are part of the
problem of Nigeria. The President impounded
newspapers and journalists did not do anything. In
other countries, they would have protested on the
streets. We are talking to him that there is need for
him to stop using soldiers to conduct election.
Does it mean your party is afraid it may lose Osun?
How can we lose Osun? Say something else.
Given the allegation of the militarisation of the Ekiti
election, what do you think is the proper security
measure for election?
The law says use police. Are you saying there are
no soldiers in Borno?
But there is Boko Haram in Borno.
That is the point I am making. So, it is not
necessarily the presence of soldiers that will stop
violence. After all, if the presence of soldiers could
stop violence, by now Borno State should be the
citadel of joy and happiness where people would be
dancing. There are so many soldiers in Borno – so
many military equipment and hardware, yet they
are still bombings in Maiduguri. There are many
soldiers in Abuja and the Emmab Plaza is a place
you will think is very secure but it was bombed
recently. So, police are enough.
Are you saying police would be enough in Nigeria’s
circumstance?
Are you going to war? I think in the current security
situation, police are enough for security measure
during election.
With the experience you have had in your state,
would you advocate state police?
It can’t be worse, they will checkmate each other.
The President will stop using the police or army
against those that are not in his party because
there would be balance of forces in the country.
Nobody wants a state police if the national police
would be fair to everybody. There are two reasons
for state police. First is that the national police is not
properly equipped to check crime. So, if you
equipped them properly and make them
independent, then you don’t need the state police.
The reason for the state police is the failure of the
national police. And with the personalisation of
national police, it becomes the private army of the
President.
It is worse in this period where it is not only the
private army of the President; it is the private army
of the PDP. So, when people criticise others, they
should institutionalise the police and the military. If
they are not answerable and they would not obey
illegal orders, then we would support everybody. If
we have a statesman President, who will not use
the police, they would be in support of everybody.
Are you impressed with yourself this second term
because you seem to have been distracted by
politics?
A lot of people need to wait. What you’re used to is
the PDP propaganda machine and if you know me
very well, I hate propaganda. I could actually put
about N100m to N300m to the press to start
propaganda and, meanwhile, I am doing nothing on
the ground. There was a time we were responding
but it got to a point, we stopped. The reason I
stopped was because we started inaugurating
primary schools. In my first tenure, we had only 75
primary schools. We are trying to get children into
300 but it is expensive to furnish. ICT alone is
N34m per school, so 100 schools is N3.4bn. So, we
say let us raise about N10bn plus to fund 300
schools and it is not easy.
Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved

.

But why is Jonaumb deploying soldiers for elections while almost 300 girls are still missing, and there is still no soldier to enforce the so called state of emergency in 3 states in the north? Jona should be imprisoned as soon as he is out of power!

So this OP dint study Summary in sch,for God sake,this is too long and besides,is Amenchi on Nairaland cos I read more of him dan Seun Osawa

bruno419: .

.

If am C in C of the armed forces, I will double the soldiers. Never unerestimate ur enemies

sheedy407: So this OP dint study Summary in sch,for God sake,this is too long and besides,is Amenchi on Nairaland cos I read more of him dan Seun Osawa

being educated does nt mean u r nt ignorant.. even a daft will no dt it is an interview.

cnt be arsed to read all of dat

Its great seeing the army joining with the Police to enforce the rule of law. But can someone please tell Amaechi to stop using Rivers state money to fund his vice presidential ambition.

Apart from the millions he donated to Ekiti election, he's now ready to fund the Osun election and also donating to the "Help Nyako" fund. This man is destroying Rivers State.

myboy2010: being educated does nt mean u r nt ignorant.. even a daft will no dt it is an interview.

And the OP couldn't defend his interview post by re-editing the write up with Q & A option,all he was just after was to rush to copy and past this term paper just to make front page.

madamoringo: But why is Jonaumb deploying soldiers for elections while almost 300 girls are still missing, and there is still no soldier to enforce the so called state of emergency in 3 states in the north? Jona should be imprisoned as soon as he is out of power!

Your generation can never attain to the level of GEJ

So that you will have chance to rig huh?

Hmmmm Amechi dont allow what is happening to nyako be your portion you talk too much.


Madam oringo or whatever you are you can go and dieeee


Idiotic mugu malu bigot foool useless woman

madamoringo: [s]But why is Jonaumb deploying soldiers for elections while almost 300 girls are still missing, and there is still no soldier to enforce the so called state of emergency in 3 states in the north? Jona should be imprisoned as soon as he is out of power![/s]

Your post oozes abysmal ignorance.Let me school you a little.

‎​Federal Govt Deploys Soldiers For Edo Gubernatorial Election

http://m.thenigerianvoice.com/mobile/94476/1/falana-deployment-of-soldiers-for-edo-election-unc.html

it would be recalled that the military authorities had early in the week reportedly deployed no fewer than 3,500 armed soldiers for the state governorship election.

‎​my question is ,did Jonathan use the military to rig the election in Edo state in favour of his party the PDP?

The following post will tell you,

‎​Oshiomhole wins Edo governorship election - www.channelstv.com

Did ACN (APC) complain about the deployment of soldiers after they won the election? The answer is no.

Here is Tinubu's reaction;

‎​ACN, ANPP, Tinubu hail Oshiomhole's victory


http://ondostatevoice.com/news/acn-anpp-tinubu-hail-oshiomholes-victory-796.html

Because you did not win Ekiti election,you now complain about the deployment of soldiers.APC is indeed a foolish party.

The voice of a drowning broomer.

sheedy407:
And the OP couldn't defend his interview post by re-editing the write up with Q & A option,all he was just after was to rush to copy and past this term paper just to make front page.

10ks 4 d concern sha @sheedy

When soldiers were deployed in Edo,and APC won,nothing was heard,and now same scenario played out in Ekiti,but didn't favoured them,APC are shouting like a rabid dog..APC is a confused party.

Jonathan should stop using soldiers in elections so that he(Ameachi) can use his own militias to rig. Praise God hallelujah!

What did Amaechi use to win election in 2007 and 2011? Rubbish opportunist. Becos the table has turned he is now complaining.

idumuose:
Your post oozes abysmal ignorance.Let me school you a little.

‎​Federal Govt Deploys Soldiers For Edo Gubernatorial Election

http://m.thenigerianvoice.com/mobile/94476/1/falana-deployment-of-soldiers-for-edo-election-unc.html

it would be recalled that the military authorities had early in the week reportedly deployed no fewer than 3,500 armed soldiers for the state governorship election.

‎​my question is ,did Jonathan use the military to rig the election in Edo state in favour of his party the PDP?

The following post will tell you,

‎​Oshiomhole wins Edo governorship election - www.channelstv.com

Did ACN (APC) complain about the deployment of soldiers after they won the election? The answer is no.

Here is Tinubu's reaction;

‎​ACN, ANPP, Tinubu hail Oshiomhole's victory


http://ondostatevoice.com/news/acn-anpp-tinubu-hail-oshiomholes-victory-796.html

Because you did not win Ekiti election,you now complain about the deployment of soldiers.APC is indeed a foolish party.

why waste your time to educate deliberate self imposed fo.ool

gunuvi:
why waste your time to educate deliberate self imposed fo.ool

True talk.i just realised that ii wasted my time as you pointed out