BY EVARISTUS DOUGLAS

One does not have to be super-intelligent to recognise that the elaborate social reception held in honour of Mr Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, at the Abuja International Conference Centre on Sunday, August 2, is part of an equally elaborate image laun­dering scheme for Mr Amaechi. The guests included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Aishatu, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief John Od­igie-Oyegun, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); serving and former state governors, including Mallam Nasir El- Rufai of Kaduna, leading members of the APC and a host of others.

The sentiments heaped on Amae­chi that night were effusive, with Vice President Osinbajo describing the guest of honour as a person worthy of emula­tion. Others eulogised the former Rivers State governor for the role he played in ensuring victory for the APC in the last general elections, especially the presi­dential polls. Rotimi Amaechi was Di­rector General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, a position he got after he was apparently passed over as nominee for the Vice President slot.

But amid the torrents of eulogies, no one could satisfactorily explain or jus­tify why such a galaxy of VIP guests were out to dine and wine in honour of Amaechi. The APC had long since celebrated its landmark electoral victory and President Buhari is inching towards his first 100 Days in office, although with an approval rating that is a far cry from the euphoria that swept him to power. Before he left office as governor on May 29, Amaechi had also staged a book launch in Lagos, to celebrate his tenure as Rivers State Governor. The Lagos event was equally well attended with the usual partisan crowd.

However, on August 2, Mr Amaechi did not disappoint in inadvertently dis­closing the rationale for the social re­ception hosted in his honour in Abuja. It was to muster support as a counter mea­sure to any move intended to block his nomination for a federal appointment. If other APC stalwarts in the other 35 states were to be hosted to similar os­tentatious receptions, to garner support for their ministerial nomination, the cost would be enormous and the very idea itself runs contrary to decency. It’s worrisome that, while the Buhari administration is trying to enunciate a regime of frugality, some persons are spending lavishly to polish Amaechi’s image. As has been his tendency in the past couple of years, Amaechi, at the reception, disparaged immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, dropping the innuendo of suspected graft in the high claims for fuel subsidy during Jon­athan’s administration. Amaechi also went after his successor as governor, Chief Nyesom Wike. “May God not give me the kind of ambition of Nye­som Wike; he can sell anybody,” Amae­chi was reported as saying at p.5 of The Nation newspaper of Tuesday, August 4, 2015. Amaechi further said: “Let me tell you what is currently going on in Rivers State. The governor and PDP are afraid of me getting an appointment to the Federal Executive Council because that will determine what the politics of Rivers State will be. They know that the current President abhors corruption and the only way they can stop me from get­ting the appointment is to associate me with corruption. The people that know me in Rivers State know that I don’t like money…And I expect them to defend me that I don’t like money.”


Pray, what evidence is available since 1999 when Nigeria returned to demo­cratic rule that the politics of Rivers State has been determined by who­ever was minister from the state? When Amaechi himself became Governor in 2007, what role, if any, did the minister from the state play? While Amaechi was governor in his second term, Nyesom Wike was a member of the Federal Ex­ecutive Council. Was Amaechi scared of Wike as minister? At least, the impres­sion created by his frequent vituperations is that Amaechi is a fearless lion. Why would Wike be scared of Amaechi be­ing a minister, or other appointee of the Federal Government? Those present at the Abuja reception for Amaechi prob­ably see only one dimension of the man. Rivers people see several dimensions. In the twilight of his eight-year rule as gov­ernor, Amaechi took on the unusual role of DG of the Buhari Campaign Organ­isation, which meant that Amaechi aban­doned governance at the state level. For those who are quick to cite international best practices, it will surely be a difficult exercise to cite a parallel example of a governor of a State in the United States, virtually abandoning the post for which he was elected, to play the role of lead national coordinator for a US presiden­tial candidate. Amaechi was unapolo­getically obstructionist in his last days as governor of Rivers. He did not hand over to Wike, as civil servants in the state were under strict directive not to pre­pare any handover notes. Furthermore, Amaechi’s agents went shopping from one court to another in search of an in­junction to stop Wike from being sworn in on May 29, on the ground that Rivers State had neither a substantive nor Act­ing Chief Judge to perform the swearing in and their futile search for an injunction was notwithstanding the sad fact that Amaechi had crippled both the judiciary and the legislature in the latter part of his tenure. But, if he could not stop Wike from assuming office, Amaechi ensured that Wike inherited a poisoned chalice. Despite a valid court injunction, Amae­chi’s government went ahead to conduct a farcical local government election on May 23 and then purported to swear in new council officials. When he spoke at the August 2 reception, Amaechi made a song and dance of his claim that he “doesn’t like money.” The insinuation is that those who like money are corrupt, and therefore will not pass Buhari’s test of integrity. How might we then classify abuse of office? Well, at the same re­ception, Mallam El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, committed a faux pas, by praising Amaechi for deploying (finan­cial) resources to help fight electoral bat­tles in PDP-controlled states. Amaechi is no Rockefeller, nor is he a Bill Gates, or a Dangote. Whose resources did Amaechi deploy to fight electoral battles? How did he have access to the resources, bearing in mind the processes for spending gov­ernment funds? And yet, Amaechi is say­ing that people want to tarnish his image. It’s indeed a commonly held view that if Buhari is really serious in fighting cor­ruption, he must begin with those who assisted him to power, particularly the money-bags who came with funds from yet-to-be-disclosed sources. Amaechi claims that as chairman of Nigeria Gov­ernors Forum, he disagreed vehemently with former President Jonathan over the management of the Treasury, that is, the Federation Account. But the jury is still out on how he, Amaechi, man­aged the resources of Rivers State and those resources include receipts from the Federation Account as well as the state’s internally generated revenue, which at a point hit over N7 billion monthly.

“I chose the path of honesty and truth­fulness. You cannot catch me doing such a thing,” Amaechi said at the reception, painting himself as a saint, while demon­izing Jonathan and Wike. Well, Amaechi was Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years and governor for an equal duration. He knows the pa­per trail for government transactions, in particular the release of funds. Problems arise where due process has not been fol­lowed, or where on closer examination a transaction is manifestly fraudulent, or the circumstances of the transaction and payment are questionable. For example, a consulting firm suddenly appears; it is given a job without tender and pay­ment is directed to be made to the firm, even when in all reasonableness the firm could not have executed the job within the timeframe and for the huge sum it’s being paid.

Again, as stated earlier, the jury is still out on Amaechi, and he needs not cry wolf. After all, a clear conscience fears no accusation. The abandoned Port Har­court mono-rail project tells a gripping story about the Amaechi years as gov­ernor and likewise the still-born Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital. President Buhari, it’s said, is intolerant of corrup­tion, as he would not shut his eyes to red-hot evidence against a guy who has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Above all, President Buhari has given firm assurance in recent interviews that no one, including members of the rul­ing APC, would be spared if found to be corrupt. Time will tell what granite-solid evidence will emerge as to the manage­ment of public resources by the immedi­ate past administration in Rivers State.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/amaechi-as-buharis-moral-burden/

It’s indeed a commonly held view that if Buhari is really serious in fighting cor­ruption, he must begin with those who assisted him to power, particularly the money-bags who came with funds from yet-to-be-disclosed sources.

If it is not Tinubu,it is always Amaechi dis/dat.Nobody will die for one to prosper.There's no hidden place for thieves in dis present govt,whether U are APC/PDP.Anybody that cry witch hunt of any thieves arrested shud have his/her brain examine.

According to Dickstardly, all Amaechi needs to do is to yell "Sai Baba" three times and voila, his sins will be totally forgiven. .

I will only take buhari serious on his corruption sermon the day I see the like of ameachi, fashola, tinubu, saraki, atiku, etc in JAIL!

"Bad-belleism" from wailers!

We stopped reading when you tried to draw a parallel using an American governor. Its like comparing banana and cucumber, bad premise leads to wrong conclusion.

Dis one go reach frontpage

Now I can comment. In every political party, there're good, bad and ugly members. A political party is a combination of different individuals with different moral values. Apart from that, I haven't seen any indictment of Mr. Rotimi chibuike Amaechi of corrupt practices by any law court or a duly established body empowered to carry out such duties. Or are u saying Amaechi should be tagged as corrupt because the people say so without no documentary evidence? It'll be most unfair of u to suggest such. Until Amaechi is found to be corrupt with facts, pls let him be. Now ya'll wailers are wailing. Didn't see u wail when ur "hero" GEJ was openly romancing with convicted criminals like Buruji Kashamu, Bode George and a host of others. Oh! He even granted Alaymasiehga a state pardon

Amaechi as being worthy of emulation? What is Osinbajo smoking!

INTROVERT:
It’s indeed a commonly held view that if Buhari is really serious in fighting cor­ruption, he must begin with those who assisted him to power, particularly the money-bags who came with funds from yet-to-be-disclosed sources.

Tell them Sis! They are full of talk they are busy holding INEC officials from Rivers and AI but we have proof of underage voters in the North and nothing is happening. APC has proof of GEJ corruption but no arrest to date, just propaganda and pictures is all they provide!

El Rufai busted your bubble Rotten if you and Fashola get anything other then jail term Buhari anti corruption propaganda will crumble to pieces September is here already

Welrez:
Amaechi as being worthy of emulation? What is Osinbajo smoking!

Osibanjo is a vagabond - Tinubu

Amaechi is corrupt and if he gets a ministerial post, Nigerians will be assured that Buhari is the head of corruption.

Amaechi is a thief - Oshiomole

Hmmm

biafranqueen:
El Rufai busted your bubble Rotten if you and Fashola get anything other then jail term Buhari anti corruption propaganda will crumble to pieces September is here already

Correct talk.





Ishilove, lalasticlala.

All the posters above me expecting Buhari and his anti-graft agencies to beam their searchlight on the highly corrupt Apc governors both past and present including certain Apc stalwarts are all sitting on a long thing!!! Buhari is only out on a revenge mission period!

[size=13pt]Amaechi will be a big stain on Buhari govt . . . . . [/size]

Nice article

Splashme:
[size=13pt]Amaechi will be a big stain on Buhari govt . . . . . [/size]

He's already a big stain on APC government.

those who have evidence of corruption against Ameachi should gather same and submit to the efcc. If they refuse to act, use the court to compel them. I have not heard anyone say they have submitted a petition yet. The sss,efcc will screen ameachi before any appointment and if he is clean the Nays can go to ..... When the pdp was in power why did they not prosecute Ameachi accomplices? Or did he steal alone? Or the accomplices had ìmmunìty? Its not enough to mouth corruption without proof.

What about the noise that this guy is corrupt or not? Today, GMB have decided to TOTALLY probe GEJ's Governmnent. Why hasn't Governor Wike instituted same to enable us get the facts? Make U na wake up on this fight oh! A bi na lip service?

I don't know why all this is coming up, I wanted everyone to just talk less and just watch till September when the ministerial list will be released. I wanted to really know who pmb is really. With the fact so far against tinubu,Amaechi,fashola and others, atleast we know some names that will not appear on that corruption free list.

PhockPhockMan:

Correct talk.





Ishilove, lalasticlala.

Op, as far as this article is about stinking corruption of APC men, it will never see front page.


Infact, if it hit front page, I will do like this.

Wizlove:
I don't know why all this is coming up, I wanted everyone to just talk less and just watch till September when the ministerial list will be released. I wanted to really know who pmb is really. With the fact so far against tinubu,Amaechi,fashola and others, atleast we know some names that will not appear on that corruption free list.

Why didn't he wait till September before he starts probing Jonathan!


Hypocrite.

PhockPhockMan:
Correct talk.




Ishilove, lalasticlala.

I don't know why threads like this don't hit the front-page asap.

The situation with Amaechi is dicey. Dealing with him will be termed biting the fingers that fed him, while letting him go scot free would undermine PMB's anti corruption mantra..... this is a perfect example of when a fly perches on your scrotum
I jes open ma opolo eyes de look

Okay....

Where is LADY F to entertain us

Am not an Amechi fanboy nor have i indebt knowledge of his antecedence...bt one thing i knw abt Amechi is dat he is a VERY BRAVE MAN.
.
When militancy was at Itz peak, Amechi vehemently refuséd recognizing d militants as freedom fighters wich dey claim to be and instead term dem as criminals...he single handedly made Rivers state uncomfortable for dia operation...That was dsame time som south south governors catch cold at d mention of Asari, BOyloaf, Ateke Tom,Tompolo etc.
.
.
The biggest mistake PDP made was losing diz brave warrior...

The ameachi situation is excessively blown out of proportion. Why? His sins are clear as crystal. He is the scape goat for jonathan's failure to win a second term. 99 out of 100 political officers are corrupt or to give them the benefit of the doubt, they have all mismanaged public funds. Look at all the pdp ex governors for instance, (Mr amaechi's set) ; Jonah Jang, godswill akpabio, Gabriel suswan, Theodore orji, sale lamido, babangida aliyu, ramelan yero, Sullivan chime, Emmanuel uduaghan. Let he who thinks that none of these governors needs to be arrested by the efcc be the first to cast a stone on amaechi.