₦airaland Forum

...DRAGS PDP, OTHERS TO COURT OVER FALSE CLAIMS ON FOREIGN ACCOUNTS OWNERSHIP, FUNDS EMBEZZLEMENT

Immediate past governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has dragged before an Abuja High court, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party chairman in Rivers State, Felix Obuah and two others over false allegations of foreign accounts ownership and funds embezzlement against Amaechi.

It would be recalled that in a press statement from the PDP, Rivers State chapter on August 6 and August 21, 2015, the party had alleged that Amaechi stole the sum of $757million or N80 billion of Rivers State public funds and stashed them away in an account in his name in Bancorp Bank in Minnesota, United States of America. The PDP also alleged that Amaechi had embezzled millions of dollars of Rivers State money and stashed the money in other foreign accounts in his name, including in a bank in Switzerland. The PDP claimed that the various Amaechi foreign accounts were revealed and blown open by Christiane Amanpour of America’s Cable News Network (CNN). The PDP went further to claim that Bancorp Bank, Minnesota had written to President Muhammadu Buhari that part of the funds was to purchase a residence for Amaechi in America and that they (Bancorp Bank) intend to return the stolen funds to Nigeria.

However, in this fresh suit filed before an Abuja High court, FCT, Amaechi stated that each of the said malicious publications by the Defendants (PDP, Felix Obuah and two others) “are untrue, false, motivated by ill-will and without any foundations in truth whatsoever and further avers that the Defendants made the said libelous publications after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed the Presidential election and with a view to rubbishing him in the eyes of right thinking members of the society and the persons to whom the said libelous publications have been made.”

In his statement of claims in the suit, Amaechi averred that he did not steal the sum of $757million or N80 billion of Rivers State public funds and did not stash them away in Bancorp Bank in Minnesota in United States of America or stashed any State public funds in Switzerland. And that the Bancorp Bank in Minnesota in United States of America did not at any time reveal that the Plaintiff (Amaechi) embezzled or misappropriated or connived in the embezzlement and misappropriation of monies meant for Rivers State people in the sum of $757million or N80 billion and stashed them away in his name with Bancorp Bank in Minnesota in United States of America.

Amaechi averred that: “the Bancorp Bank, Minnesota, United States did not write and did not communicate President Muhammadu Buhari over any said sum of $757 million dollars allegedly looted by the Plaintiff (Amaechi) that is kept with it and in Switzerland since no such money was ever looted by the Plaintiff (Amaechi).

“There exists no letter which the Defendants (PDP, Felix Obuah and two others) had seen written to President Muhammadu Buhari, by Bancorp Bank, Minnesota, United States confirming the existence, lodgment or transfer with the said Bancorp Bank and in Switzerland of the said sum in the name of the Plaintiff (Amaechi) since no such monies were ever looted by the Plaintiff.

“The Plaintiff (Amaechi) did not steal monies belonging to Rivers State and did not lodge them in any private foreign accounts. The Plaintiff did not admit that he lodged and domiciled in his name in an account in Bancorp Bank, Minnesota, United States any monies as alleged by the Defendants. The Plaintiff did not lodge any sum of $757 million or N80billion in the said bank account belonging to him and none was revealed or blown open by Christiane Amanpour of CNN.”

Amaechi further stated that ever since the said invidious, insidious and vitriolic malicious libelous publications by the PDP and Felix Obuah to the general public, he has been inundated, bombarded and confronted by several persons who expressed lack of respect, loss of faith in him and who no longer regard him as trustworthy and now view him as a common criminal. That he has been confronted by persons who offer him disrespect arising from the false accusations, even though he denied committing the several heinous offences which the PDP and Felix Obuah falsely and maliciously accuse him of committing.

“By the several said publications the Plaintiff (Amaechi) has been seriously injured in his credit, character and reputation and has been brought into public scandal, odium, contempt and his person, character and integrity lowered in the estimation of right thinking members of the society; the said publications are false and most disparaging of the person of the Plaintiff.

“The Defendants (PDP, Felix Obuah and two others) have widely further circulated the said malicious publications to the general public in the internet; these wide and general circulations of the said malicious publications have exposed the person of the Plaintiff (Amaechi) to very heavy and irredeemable ridicule, public odium, contempt and disparagement in the eyes of right thinking and reasonable members of the society including the persons already pleaded and other persons yet unknown and who will also be called upon to testify in this proceedings.

“The Defendants (PDP, Felix Obuah and two others) have continued with the republication, recirculation and widespread republishing and distribution of the said libelous publications to the general public through the internet leading to deluge of inquiries from the general public and well wishers who have severally confronted the Plaintiff (Amaechi) with the very wild allegations of the Defendants and to which Plaintiff denied any looting or ownership of any looted funds or looting of public funds of Rivers State.”

Amaechi stated that he served Rivers State with distinction, initiated and completed numerous public projects and undertook other public infrastructure projects; and has never been convicted by any court with either stealing or embezzlement of public funds anywhere in Rivers State or Nigeria or anywhere in the world.

Against PDP, Felix Obuah and two others, Amaechi is seeking the sum of N300, 000, 000, 000.00 for general damages done to him and defamation of his character, reputation and person.

RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE
SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

NYESOM WIKE’S UNJUST PROBE OF AMAECHI IS A COMIC DISTRACTION, AS HE STEALS BILLIONS OF NAIRA OF RIVERS STATE FUNDS.

Again, our attention has been drawn to comments by the governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike, where he attempts to justify his fraudulent, sham probe of the immediate past governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and distort our statement on the amount of money Amaechi left in the Sate treasury.

No matter how hard Wike tries, the public can clearly see through his fraudulent deception and the sham he calls Commission of Inquiry to probe Amaechi. That panel was set up to indict Amaechi of corruption. Everything about the probe commission is at variance with the ethics and laws of a fair, just and unbiased probe commission.

Indeed, the hack panel has not disappointed its paymaster since it started its shambolic public hearings. As we earlier warned, it is a comedy to grab media headlines with bogus, phantom and fabricated claims of corrupt practices against former governor Amaechi. The public hearings have become a comedy of errors for the media. We maintain that Wike’s probe commission shall not achieve anything beyond political excitements, entertainment and theatrics.

However, what the public may not know is that Wike’s deceptive probe of Amaechiis a distraction to entertain and keep the public focus on his circus show, while he siphons and salt away billions of naira from the State treasury. From the moment he stepped into Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike has run a government of lies, deception and fraud.

He first made a show and gave a performance of his false accusations that Amaechi stripped the Governor’s Lodge bare, saying that the former governor stole spoons, plates, knives, cups, mattresses, forks and even curtains from the Governor’s Lodge! However, in the images Wike showed to back his lies, the curtains in the lodge were clearly there, seen and intact.

Wike then claimed he met a completely empty treasury. That again is another big lie and grand deception to steal state funds. We have said that former governor Amaechi left billions of naira and we even went ahead to mention the banks and give the names of the accounts the money were, as at May 29, 2015.

We repeat that N7.5billion cash were left behind as balances in the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) account with Skye Bank, FAAC account with Zenith Bank, balances with Access Bank and funds in the State reserve fund account in First Bank.This is besides other balances in the state Government House account with Zenith Bank and other government Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) accounts, like the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP). Amaechi left N939 million naira in the Commercial Agric Credit Scheme Account in Zenith Bank. By the time you pull all these balances together, we are looking at readily available cash in the region of eight to ten billion naira left for the Wike administration. We have mentioned banks, account names and funds left in the accounts. These are facts that cannot be distorted by Wike.

If Wike says he’s not lying that he met an empty treasury, we challenge him to publish the statements of these government accounts that we have mentioned and other Rivers State government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) accounts as at May 29; to prove his claim and show the public that Amaechi left an empty treasury for him. But, we dare say, he will not because he runs a government of lies, deception and fraud, always wanting to hoodwink the public as he siphons billions of naira of State funds.

Rather than this comedic, puerile and silly distraction he calls probe commission, Wike should explain to Rivers people what happened to the funds Amaechi left, the N30 billion naira loans he took under 30 days and other funds that has accrued to Rivers State since he became governor. Amaechi left a legacy of accountability; Rivers people expect nothing less from Wike.



RT. HON. CHIBUIKE AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE
Monday, August 31, 2015

The immediate past governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has again explained why he is opposed to and wants to stop the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by his successor, Nyesom Wike to probe some selected government transactions, while Amaechi was governor.

In a statement released by the former governor’s media office Sunday, Amaechi reiterated and emphasized that he’s not afraid of a fair and decent probe or investigation or inquiry of his administration; and would cooperate and support such probe or investigation or inquiry in as much as it’s done within the ambits of our laws.

The statement continues:

“However what Wike has set out to do is anything but a fair probe. The commission will not be fair to Amaechi because it was set up to indict him. Wike had repeatedly held that Amaechi, the person to be investigated, acted illegally in the disbursement of public funds and that Amaechi ran a corrupt government. Clearly, Wike has prejudged the matter and showed his bias that Amaechi is guilty even before investigations. This means Wike, with his prejudiced, made up mind has taken a position of a guilty verdict even before the outcome is known or established.”

“The same Wike who had adjudged the yet-to-be-investigated conduct of Amaechi as illegal and Amaechi as corrupt, is the same person that has gone ahead to set up a commission of inquiry and will have the final say on the findings of the commission. What a sham!

“This bias and predetermined agenda to indict Amaechi is obvious even in the terms of reference of the commission. In one of the defective terms of reference, Wike said the Commission should investigate the circumstances that led to the ‘sale of the state Hotel Olympia’. With a fair and decent probe, the Inquiry should have been ‘to examine (or investigate) the transaction concerning Hotel Olympia’. The difference is so clear: In the former, jaundiced Wike’s Term of Reference, it has been prejudiced and concluded that the Hotel was sold, while in the latter, the Inquiry is open and fair, and may lead to a finding of a sale or a lease or even a gift or even a pledge. Now, having so concluded that Hotel Olympia was sold, would Wike be decent and humble enough to reverse himself if documents showed it was never sold but concessioned or leased? This is one of the dangers of Wike’s commission that harbours a predetermined outcome in the name of
an Inquiry and Amaechi will not subject himself to Wike’s deceit and phony shenanigans. Hotel Olympia was never sold. The hotel was only concessioned (or leased) on the approval of the State Executive Council and not sold.”

“Even while inaugurating his yeoman commission of Inquiry, Wike could not conceal his vendetta agenda. He was clear to the panel members that their job is to indict Amaechi. And to do this his dirty hack job, he got Justice G. O. Omereji (the commission chairman), a man who is well known to harbour a long held, extreme anger, hatred and animosity against former governor Amaechi. And Justice Omereji has never disguised this stance and disposition towards Amaechi. As a matter of fact, Justice Omereji even advised a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) chairman in Rivers State on measures (to take) against then Governor Amaechi. He had expressed his hatred for Amaechi several times to the NBA chairman who was also an Attorney-General of Rivers State. How can we now expect Justice Omereji to be fair to Amaechi, the person he passionately loathes with extreme malice and venom?”

“Anyone who has been following events in Rivers State knows this Wike probe is just a fraudulent sham, a deceptive mission to indict Amaechi. Wike’s one-point agenda is to go after his predecessor. Immediately Wike took over, he made a show and gave a performance of his false accusations that Amaechi stripped the Governor’s Lodge bare, saying that the former governor stole spoons, plates, knives, cups, mattresses, forks and even curtains from the Governor’s Lodge! However, in the images Wike showed to back his lies, the curtains in the lodge were clearly there, seen and intact. Again, Wike claimed he met a completely empty treasury. That again is another big lie and grand deception. We have said that former governor Amaechi left billions of naira and we even went ahead to mention the banks and give the names of the accounts the money were, as at May 29, 2015. We challenge Wike to publish the statements of these accounts and other Rivers State government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) accounts as at May 29; to prove his claim and show the public that Amaechi left an empty treasury for him.”

“This Wike’s probe is dead on arrival. It’s ill-conceived and ill-motivated. Wike’s probe is designed to twist and distort, or even completely alter selected legitimate government transactions in his desperation to cook up, and fabricate sham cases of corruption against Amaechi. Wike’s probe commission shall not achieve anything beyond political excitements, entertainment and theatrics.”

“Finally, Amaechi will continue to use every constitutional and legal means available to protect his name and image from this massive smear campaign, State-sponsored onslaught against him by Wike led government whose sole agenda is a desperate search for a Rotimi Amaechi political downfall.”


RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE
Sunday, August 23, 2015

https://www.facebook.com/notes/chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/why-amaechi-is-fighting-wants-to-stop-the-wike-probe-commission/10153113510858977

Our attention has been drawn to fake stories making the rounds on the Internet and social media about former Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The stories are all what they are- concocted and failed attempts to ridicule the person and achievements of Rt. Hon. Amaechi. Our initial reaction was to ignore them, but to clear the doubts of those concerned we have decided to issue this statement.

There is absolutely no truth in fabricated story saying Amaechi has an account with a Bank in Minnesota, USA; same as the concocted write-up alleging that CNN’s Christiane Amanpour accused Amaechi of corruption. They even went ahead to say Amaechi wrote to Bancorp and another bank in Switzerland stating that the said funds were deposited in error. This is absolutely false.

It is important for the public to note that no such account or accounts exists. There is also no story of Amanpour linking the former governor with any corruption issue or case whatsoever, not on CNN or any verified news source or website associated with Amanpour.

These are all lies, concocted in an attempt to put the public against the acclaimed people’s governor whose achievements as governor of Rivers State speaks volumes and drew admiration and accolades from within and outside Nigeria.

All these fictitious stories are the product of the ill imaginations of wicked and unscrupulous people opposed to Amaechi; those jealous and at unease with his continued rise in the country and beyond; those whose life ambition is to pull-Amaechi-down.

We therefore urge the people to discard and disregard the unfounded rumours. They are all fake.

RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE
August 21, 2015

https://www.facebook.com/notes/chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/much-ado-about-amaechi-and-fake-stories-of-corruption-bank-accounts/10153109869233977

Candidates of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State tear gassed and locked outside at INEC Headquarters for requesting the certified true copy of the just concluded elections in the state as required by law in Abuja.

All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates at the last the general elections from Rivers State were this morning teargassed at the gate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) head office in Abuja. The candidates had gone to the INEC office with a petition to protest the consistent disobedience to Tribunal orders for inspection of electoral materials by the Port Harcourt office of INEC. The APC in Rivers state have consistently complained that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gesila Khan is working with PDP in the State to frustrate and truncate the APC cases at the Tribunal.


Below is the petition that members of the APC, Rivers State tried to submit at the INEC Office earlier today where they were tear gassed. Photos and signatures are also attached.

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APC Candidates Liason Office,

Durumi, F.C.T, Abuja

August 11, 2015.



The Acting Chairman,

Independent National Electoral Commission,

Plot 436, Zambezi Crescent,

Maitama, Federal Capital Territory,

Abuja.


Dear Madam,



Re: CONSISTENT DISOBEDIENCE TO TRIBUNAL ORDERS FOR INSPECTION OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS BY PORT HARCOURT OFFICE OF INEC


We the candidates of the All Progressives Congress Rivers State, do state that sequel to the filing of our respective petitions, our Lawyers proceeded to obtain from the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, orders for inspection of electoral materials by forensic experts. The electoral materials required are intended to enable us prosecute our said Petitions. Please find attached some of the copies of the ex-parte orders obtained on our behalf.


Meanwhile, before our various petitions were filed, we had through our respective counsels applied to the Resident Electoral Commissioner Rivers State for the release of certified true copy of materials used in the conduct of the said elections to enable us prosecute our respective petitions.


Following the grant of the said orders, the orders were duly served on the Commission’s Port Harcourt office. Despite the said service and repeated visits and correspondences to the Commission’s Port Harcourt office, the Commission has failed and neglected to allow the enforcement of the orders of the Honourable Tribunal and no reasonable reason or reasons have been provided for the failure or refusal of the Commission to allow the inspection as ordered by the Tribunal. In view of the foregoing setback, we have made repeated efforts personally and through our respective counsels to see the Resident Electoral Commission for Rivers State, without any success.


It is important to observe that election petitions are time based. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides only 180 days within which an election petition shall be determined. Our petitions were filed on 17th and 30th of April 2015, respectively. From all indications, the petitions are left with less than 3 months within which the Petitions are to be heard on their merit. Incidentally, the inspection of electoral materials used in the said elections is very crucial in the determination of our respective petitions. Therefore, any attempt by whatever means, to prevent, halt, or delay the inspection of electoral materials, or refusal to produce properly certified true copies, is a deliberate effort intended to scuttle, frustrate and defeat the election petitions without any possibility of the said petitions being proved against the respondents.


The effect of the deliberate delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Port Harcourt to allow our experts carry out inspections in line with the Tribunal’s Orders is to cause a serious obstacle, hindrance, and delay in the prosecution of the Election petitions, and to hamper the effective presentation of our Petitions, and deny the Tribunal the opportunity to see all relevant documents and material evidence needed for a just and proper determination of the Petitions. To allow this state of affairs to continue, is tantamount to a deliberate act by Independent National Electoral Commission office in Port Harcourt to frustrate the hearing of the said Petitions and occasion miscarriage of justice.


It is highly worrisome that the Independent National Electoral Commission which ought to assume the position of an unbiased umpire has now thrown caution to the wind and is now hobnobbing with the other respondents in the aforesaid petitions to frustrate the speedy and efficient determination of the petitions. The foregoing collaboration and partnership between the Commission and other respondents to the Petitions is confirmed by the Commission’s refusal to allow our experts inspect electoral materials, refusal to produce properly certified true copies and the series of objections filed by counsel to the Commission challenging the tribunals order for inspection of electoral materials. In a situation where the Commission is expected to be neutral and non-partisan (like in this case) there would be no need whatsoever to apply to set aside a simple and harmless order for inspection of electoral materials made by the Tribunal. The unavoidable conclusion to be drawn from the conduct of the Commission so far, is that the Commission has so much to hide and would prefer to make electoral materials inaccessible to the Petitioners for the sole purpose of frustrating the Petitions filed to challenge the conduct of the respective elections. Otherwise, it should normally be in the interest of the Commission to avail whosoever that cares to see how it conducted the said elections the opportunity to have access to such documents within the ambit of the law.


It is in connection with the foregoing that we humbly urge you to graciously use your good offices to immediately issue a written directive to the Resident Electoral Commissioner Rivers State, to allow our experts and Lawyers, carry out the inspection of all electoral materials in obedience to the Orders made by the Tribunal and provide us with properly certified true copies of the relevant documets. It is, no doubt, clear that the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission, is that of an umpire, and this requires that it should not be seen by any act of omission or commission to hinder Election Petitioners, , from inspecting and producing before the Tribunal all necessary electoral materials needed for the Tribunal to justly determine their Petitions.


We are confident, knowing your pedigree and great passion for justice, and high integrity, that you will treat this complaint with the urgency and seriousness it deserves by issuing the necessary directive as time is of the essence in Election Petition matters, please.


Kindly accept the assurances of our high esteem and best regards.


Thank you.


Yours faithfully,



Hon. Dr. DakukuAdolPeterside ……………………………………………..

Senator Magnus Ngei Abe ……………………………………………………

Hon. Andrew Uchendu………………………………………………………..

Hon. OtelemabaAmachree…………………………………………………….

Hon. Dr. Dawari George……………………………………………………….

IgochukwuAguma……………………………………………………………..

Hon. OgbonnaNwuke………………………………………………………….

Wihioka Frank Chidi…………………………………………………………..

Lucky Odili……………………………………………………………………

Okocha Anthony Chinedu…………………………………………………….

Collins Owhonda……………………………………………………………….

Hon. Barry Mpigi………………………………………………………………

Hon. Aye Pepple………………………………………………………………

Hon. Robinson Ewoh…………………………………………………………

Hon. Maureen Tamuno………………………………………………………..

Hon. Maurice Pronen………………………………………………………….

Sampson Gilbert Egop………………………………………………………….

Golden Chioma…………………………………………………………………

Ben Horsfall…………………………………………………………………….

Victoria Nyeche…………………………………………………………………

Andrew A. Miller……………………………………………………………….

Dike Mathew……………………………………………………………………..

Collins Ordu…………………………………………………………………….

Victor O.A. Amadi………………………………………………………………

AzubikeNwanjoku………………………………………………………………

OkechukwuAkara………………………………………………………………..

Innocent Barikor…………………………………………………………………

Chidi Julius Lloyd……………………………………………………………….

Belief Wali………………………………………………………………………

ChimaNwenendaNnokam……………………………………………………..

Irene Inimgba……………………………………………………………………

BeniboAnabraba……………………………………………………………….

Gift Nwokocha………………………………………………………………….

LegborsiNwidadah………………………………………………………………

Friday Nkeeh……………………………………………………………………

Hope BarangoTariah ………………………………………………………..

Eric Apia……………………………………………………………………….

Enos William……………………………………………………………………

Dr.RomsanDressmanOtogwung……………………………………………..

LeoAnyanwu……………………………………………………………………

Eldred Lulu-Braide………………………………………………………………

IbisoNwuche……………………………………………………………………

Engr. Ineye Jack…………………………………………………………………

Vincent Ogbuagu………………………………………………………………..

Chigbo San –Eligwe……………………………………………………………..

David Akio……………………………………………………………………….

Henry Halliday………………………………………………………………….

BelemaOkpokiri………………………………………………………………..



CC:

1. The Inspector General of Police
2. Director General, Department of State Services
[url]
https://www.facebook.com/notes/chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/the-petition-by-apc-rivers-state-at-inec-office-where-they-were-tear-gassed/10153092141553977[/url]

‘ …Won’t Dissipate My Energy On A Piece Of Trash Like Tele Ikuru’


The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has described the so-called probe of his administration by his successor Nyesom Wike, as a sham, a fraudulent witch-hunt meant to deceive the public.

In a statement released by the former Governor’s Media Office Sunday, Amaechi described Wike as a sick man who is sickly fixated on rubbing him (Amaechi) with his (Wike’s) mud of corruption and then grabbing media headlines with his concocted bogus stories of ‘Amaechi’s alleged corrupt activities.’

The former Governor also took a swipe at his former deputy Tele Ikuru over his claims that the Amaechi administration under which Ikuru served as deputy governor was the most corrupt in the State.

The statement reads:

“This so called Wike’s probe of Amaechi is dead on arrival. All the noise Wike is making is to grab media headlines with his lies of monumental corruption against Amaechi. It’s all drama made for the media. What is playing out is a script written and directed by Nyesom Wike. Wike should move to Nollywood where his devious skills would probably be useful.”

“Even while inaugurating his yeoman commission of Inquiry, Wike could not conceal his vendetta agenda. He was clear to the panel members that their job is to indict Amaechi.”

“While it’s no longer in doubt what would be the report of Wike’s sham probe commission. What may shock Nigerians is the extent Wike has gone and is ready to go to manufacture stories of corrupt practices, and the kind of bogus tales of corruption against Amaechi that he would soon be feeding the nation.”

“We are aware that even the Chairman of his Inquiry Commission, was shocked and protested when Wike gave him the litany of phony claims of corruption against Amaechi that the chairman would write in the panel’s report. But Wike had assured him not to worry that he had since been working towards arriving at that conclusion and he would provide the commission with all the (fake) evidence needed to arrive at that report.”

“Truly, since May 29, that is all Wike has been doing; cooking spurious reports of corruption against Amaechi. Wike has been intimidating, threatening, coercing and blackmailing officials of the past administration, especially civil servants into making false, phony and bogus statements that would make legitimate government transactions appear as corrupt practices. Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Finance and Administration (DFAs), the State bankers and even contractors are harassed, threatened and blackmailed to twist and distort, or even completely alter legitimate government transactions in his desperation to cook up, and fabricate sham cases of corruption against Amaechi. This has been the one-point agenda of the Wike government, a vendetta mission against his former boss and benefactor.”

“Amaechi will use every constitutional and legal means available to protect his name and image from this massive smear campaign, State-sponsored onslaught against him by this directionless, purposeless Wike led government. As governor, Amaechi served his people well and the good things he did with the resources of the state are visible all over the state.”

On the claims by his former deputy, Tele Ikuru while presenting a report to Wike, the statement condemned Ikuru.

“We won’t dignify him with a response. He’s such a worthless piece of trash that we won’t waste our energy on. This is a man with no dignity, no shame. No self-respecting man would talk the way Ikuru is talking right now. This is a character that served the Amaechi administration for almost eight years. While he was there, he never for once complained that Amaechi or the government that he was the second-in-command was corrupt. As a matter of fact, he was singing and parroting everywhere that Rivers State was truly blessed to have a governor like Amaechi, that Amaechi will always be remembered and hailed for changing for good the fortunes of Rivers State.”

“Today, the shameless clown is the one shouting Amaechi is corrupt, everywhere. If the government was as corrupt as he claims, what was he doing there for almost eight years, telling the world that Amaechi is the best thing to happen to Rivers State? No character, no self-respect, no dignity, no shame. A character like Ikuru should never be taken seriously”, the statement concluded.


RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE
Sunday, June 21, 2015
[url]
https://www.facebook.com/notes/chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/amaechi-wikes-probe-a-sham-fraudulent-witch-hunt/10152981260198977[/url]

... HE DID NOT RETURN ANY MONEY TO ME

Immediate past Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has debunked claims by Eng. Tele Ikuru, his deputy while he was governor, that he (Ikuru) returned billions of naira to him (Amaechi) and the state government.

Ikuru had in a thanksgiving service at the weekend said that he returned over two billion naira cash to Amaechi and additionally saved the Amaechi administration not less than one hundred billion naira. Ikuru further expressed disappointment at Amaechi, that, in spite of all these his contributions, his former boss did not give him any parting gift and left him hard and dry, “nothing and no penny to go home with”.

But, in a swift reaction, Amaechi denied that Ikuru ever returned any money to him.

“Tele is lying. He did not return any money to me. And I am not aware that he returned any money to the coffers of the State government”, the former governor said in a statement released on his behalf by his media aide, David Iyofor.

“My former deputy’s ill-advised comments against me are indeed shameful and pitiable. His attack on me, his disgusting lamentation about parting gifts only goes to confirm what I have always known and said about those on the other side of the political divide in Rivers State(where my former deputy now belongs)- that all they want is to share the resources and commonwealth of Rivers people among themselves. This is why they fought me and are still fighting me.”

“It’s most unfortunate that Tele, who I kept as my deputy in spite of the strong opposition against him, almost everyone was against him but I retained him and even ran with him for a second term, against the advice of most of my political associates, would now attempt to hideously disparage and attack me”, the statement concluded.



David Iyofor
For: Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
Former Governor of Rivers State
June, 9, 2015

And more...

More pictures taken after Amaechi left Government house.

more

Former Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has described the so called probe of his tenure as governor by his successor, Nyesom Wike as a deliberate witch hunt.

Amaechi said Wike has gone ahead with his plan of threatening, coercing and blackmailing officials of his administration, especially civil servants into making false, phony and bogus statements that would make legitimate government transactions appear as corrupt practices.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his media aide, David Iyofor, Amaechi urged Rivers people, the media and the public to be watchful, vigilant and discern the fraudulent acts of Wike to make him and his administration look bad.

He said, "As I noted earlier in a previous statement, Nyesom Wike is going ahead with his plan of attempting to deride and discredit me and my administration by blackmailing and arm-twisting key government officials to distort legitimate government transactions in his desperation to cook up, and fabricate baseless, concocted and unfounded cases of corruption against me and the administration I ran.”

“Only yesterday, Tuesday, Wike tried to threaten, harass, and force Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Finance & Administration (DFA) in various ministries, parastatals, agencies etc in the state into doing his bidding of painting me as corrupt in the administration of the State. The State bankers and some of our contractors are also not spared in his mission of tarnishing my reputation. As a matter of fact, Wike has only one agenda as he governs Rivers State - the agenda to portray me as corrupt, by whatever means, no matter how ridiculous and phony it looks.”

Amaechi also described as a fraud the video and pictures of the looted and vandalized Government House that Wike has been showing.

"The images are a fraud, arranged and executed by Wike to enable him vote billions of Naira from the state treasury to renovate and refurbish the place, as well as accuse me of corruption. I repeat, this is clearly a game, a grand conspiracy to siphon state funds under the sub-head of renovating and refurbishing a supposedly 'vandalized and looted' Government House, while also falsely smearing my image.”

"Wike said the curtains in the Governor’s residence were looted, but even in his stage-managed images, you could clearly see that the curtains are still intact. I left Government House intact.”

"Rivers people should hold Wike responsible if there’s any looting and vandalism in Government House.
There is verifiable information that on May 29, Wike stopped key Government House staff including the Permanent Secretary (who’s the chief accounting officer) from entering the premises, only to shout looting and vandalism 48 hours later. Why were civil servants, including the most senior civil servant in Government House barred from entering the compound on May 29? Was it to give him time and provide cover to stage-manage the shooting of the fraudulent video that he’s now gleefully showing?" Amaechi asked.

Amaechi further urged the public and the media to disregard the phony images by Wike as its contents are fraudulent.


David Iyofor
For: Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
Former Governor of Rivers State

NB: The attached pictures shows a true reflection of some areas in Government House just when Amaechi left.


https://www.facebook.com/notes/chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/amaechi-wikes-probe-a-witch-hunt-images-of-vandalized-government-house-a-fraud/10152946868243977

AMAECHI SLAMS WIKE OVER FALSE CLAIMS OF VANDALISATION AND LOOTING IN RIVERS GOVERNMENT HOUSE

… Says Wike Wants to Harass, Blackmail, Threaten officials of His Administration Into Making False Claims of Corruption.

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has raised alarm over attempts by the new occupant of Government House in Port Harcourt, Barr. Nyesom Wike to intimidate, threaten and blackmail officials of his (Amaechi’s) administration, including civil servants into making false, phony and bogus claims of alleged corruption and corrupt practices against him (Amaechi) and his wife, Judith; concocted claims that cannot be substantiated.

Amaechi also debunked claims by Wike that the seat of power in the State, Government House, Port Harcourt was vandalized and looted by him. He described Wike’s provocative utterances as another cheap smear campaign and ploy to siphon billions of naira from the State treasury under the guise of renovating a ‘vandalized’ and ‘looted’ Government House.

This is contained in a statement released on behalf of the former Governor by his spokesman, David Iyofor.

Amaechi stated that Wike had gone to ridiculous and absurd lengths to show his imaginary claims of vandalisation and looting in Government House in his bid to vote billions of naira for renovation of the place.

He said, “I am aware that this (Monday) morning, Wike in company of his coterie of court jesters took some video cameramen and photographers on a tour of the Governor’s residence inside Government House. He took them to the Governor’s bedroom where he made further claims that the place has been looted.”

“The question to ask is, did Wike know what was in my former bedroom before now, to conclude that the bedroom was looted? Did he speak with or review with the Permanent Secretary of Government House, who is the chief accounting officer before jumping into such hasty and misguided conclusion?”

“Apparently, he had already reached a conclusion before arriving Government House, and all he has been saying and doing is to work towards that conclusion of looting and vandalisation. It’s instructive to note that on Friday, May 29, Wike had barred some key officials of Government House, including civil servants from accessing the place. 48 hours later, he started shouting ‘vandalisation and looting’. This doesn’t smell right. I left the place intact. If there’s any vandalisation or looting in Government House after I left, Rivers people should ask Wike what happened.”

“This is clearly a grand conspiracy to siphon state funds in the guise of renovating a vandalized and looted Government House and falsely smear my image. On the latter, Wike is sparing no expense, employing all sorts of insidious tactics to accuse me and rub me with the tar of corruption.”

“I am aware that a plot is on by Wike to harass,intimidate, threaten, blackmail and do whatever it takes to get officials, including civil servants, who served in my administration to make false and phony claims of corruption against me, personally, and my dear wife, Judith; in spite of the fact that my wife was never an official of Government or public officeholder. These false, bogus and illusive claims can never be substantiated but Wike doesn’t care. All he wants is to taint my good name with screaming headlines of corruption and corrupt practices in the media. But, he will certainly fail.”

Amaechi urged the media to beware of this plot, scrutinize thoroughly and disregard any of Wike’s wild and false claims of corrupt practices against him and his wife. He further advised the media to be weary and discard the stage-managed video by Wike purportedly showing the looting and vandalisation of Government House, Port Harcourt.

“The video is a fraud. Stage-managed to deceive and hoodwink the public”, the statement concluded.


David Iyofor

For: Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
Former Governor of Rivers State.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/amaechi-slams-wike-over-false-claims-of-vandalisation-and-looting-in-rivers-gove/10152943839703977

Amaechi inaugurates 9-Man Commission of Inquiry into politically motivated killings in Rivers State

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has inaugurated a 9-man commission of inquiry to commence investigations into the Politically Motivated Killings in Rivers State.

Members of the commission include; Professor Chidi Odin-Kalu as chairman, Sir Samuel Egbe secretary and Professor Nlerum Okogbule. Others are; Professor Owunari A. Georgewill, Dr. Richard Ofuru, Mrs. Asivosuo M. Oriye, Dr. Joy Ejiofor, Mrs. Ayo M. O. Obe, and Rev. Father Michael Akiri as members.

Speaking Thursday during the inauguration at Government House, Port Harcourt, Amaechi congratulated the members of the commission and said the fact-finding exercise will last for 30 days.

He explained that the reason for setting up the commission was to investigate why the victims were killed, who killed them, under what circumstances; and for the commission to make useful recommendations that will help government forestall future occurrences.

“I visited Obirikom in the Ogba-Egbeme-Ndoni local government area, in the household of one late chief Christopher Adube, where 9 persons were killed by assassins. Those killed were his 3 children, his younger brother, two gatemen, and two other persons, while two of the late Chief Adube’s children are still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital. There was a day I was arguing with the commissioner of Police in Rivers State now posted to Enugu and I said, ‘commissioner, I am told 11 persons have been killed,’ he said, ‘no, only 7 persons.’ Again, in the same Omoku, whether it is 7 or 11 persons, these are human lives.

“At Okrika, when APC went on campaign, where the guber candidate of APC was seated, he would have been hit by a bullet, but God saved him, he had left that place earlier the first day APC went for campaigns in Okirika, and the police were present.

“The day I was driving to my village on March 28 for the Presidential election, I saw a corpse at the median of the road, I called the Commissioner of Police, ‘Mr. Karma, I have seen a corpse here, please, look for a way to take away the corpse and find out who did this,’ but, he did not. Whether the corpse is still there or not, I have no idea. When I got to the village called Omuanwa, on that election day, young boys were shooting sporadically at innocent people and when they saw us, they ran into the bush. Then I came down and met somebody they had shot that was severely injured, we had to put him in a vehicle and rush him to the hospital”, Amaechi said.

Governor Amaechi maintained that those behind the killings were allowed to carry out the mayhem because of the existence of impunity in the state, and called on the commission to recommend appropriate punishment for the offenders.

“The reasons why the killings happened was because of impunity in the state. Total impunity. I believe as a Governor, if you don’t punish those who break the law, then human beings will no longer be protected. People were not allowed to carry out their civic obligation and responsibilities, just because they are desperate to take over power.

“There will be threats, but your duty as a commission is to overcome these threats. First, you must be under the custody of the state and we will inform the commissioner of Police to provide adequate security for them to discharge their duties uninterrupted”, Amaechi noted.

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/amaechi-inaugurates-9-man-commission-of-inquiry-into-politically-motivated-killings-in-rivers-state/

Stop Press : Police want to doctor the statements of persons arrested perpetrating electoral crimes in Tai, Rivers State

Information just reaching us indicates that the Police in Rivers State want to doctor the statements of about 110 persons arrested for electoral offences and crimes in Tai Local Government of Rivers State during Saturday’s gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.

The persons arrested include 75 National Youth Service Corps, NYSC members who are adhoc staff of INEC. They were arrested with the electoral materials of about 9 wards by Mopol 56 in Rivers State. They were caught thumb-printing ballot papers for PDP candidates in the private residence of a PDP chieftain in Tai.

The Governor of Rivers State have been reliably informed that the police now want to doctor their statements, in a bid to exonerate the culprits caught thumb-printing ballot papers for the PDP in Tai; so that the culprits can be subsequently released.


David Iyofor
Chief Press Secretary to The Rivers State Governor

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/stop-press-police-want-to-doctor-the-statements-of-persons-arrested-perpetrating-electoral-crimes-in-tai-rivers-state/

This is to inform members of the public that the Telephone numbers of the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been cloned and the criminals who did the cloning are using his phone numbers to send out fake text messages to people not to come out and vote. Pls that text message is not from Gov Amaechi. The Governor's position remains that Rivers voters should come out to vote today. People should disregard that fake text message.

DAVID IYOFOR
Chief Press Secretary
To the Governor

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/governor-amaechis-telephone-numbers-cloned/

The Rivers State Government has received news of harassment, intimidations and improper conduct by law enforcement agents in the course of today, Friday, April 10, 2015 as exemplified by the action of the Divisional Police Officer, Kayode Joseph, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, DCP John O. Amadi.

The Rivers State Government wishes to warn all security personnel in the state that Government will not spare any persons found engaging in unwholesome and unprofessional conduct.

It wishes to remind all security personnel that the main objective of government is to secure lives and properties and it will not relinquish that right.

It also calls on all citizens and residents to take appropriate note and document any security personnel behaving improperly and who is compromised and forward same to the Rivers State Government.

All such personnel will face the full weight of the law; and for those who may escape prosecution now, definitely when the new government takes over on May 29, 2015.

Security Agents are advised to conduct themselves in a proper manner as the law is no respecter of persons.

Signed

Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON
Governor, Rivers State,
Friday, April 10, 2015

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/press-statement-by-governor-amaechi-on-the-elections/

Amaechi commends Rivers Joint Security Task Force on the arrest of 5 persons with Arms, Ammunition, Indian Hemp

The Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has commended the State Joint Security Taskforce on the arrest Thursday evening of about five persons with three AK-47 riffles, ammunitions and assorted indian hemp at ‘Barracks’, behind Wimpey in Rumueme area of Port Harcourt.

Information available to us indicates that those arrested are likely hired thugs and the arms and ammunition are to be used to unleash violence on voters and innocent citizens before or during the gubernatorial elections on Saturday.

Governor Amaechi hailed the security agencies on the arrest. He urged voters and the people of Rivers State to remain calm and peaceful as the Joint security Taskforce in the State has assured him that they are poise to ensure a peaceful, violence free elections; and the safety of lives and property before, during and after the elections.

Governor Amaechi further called on Rivers voters to come out en mass on Saturday to vote as their safety and security is assured.

DAVID IYOFOR
Chief Press Secretary To The Governor, Rivers State.

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/amaechi-commends-rivers-joint-security-task-force-on-the-arrest-of-5-persons-with-arms-ammunition-indian-hemp/

Guber Elections: Mrs. Patience Jonathan, Loyalists are planning mayhem in Rivers – Amaechi

…Bans movement of Motorcyclists in Omoku

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi says the renewed upsurge in militancy in parts of the state ahead of Saturday’s Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections is as a result of the quest of Mrs. Patience Jonathan to control the affairs of the state and further mastermind the rigging of the elections in favour of PDP.

Amaechi stated this on Thursday at an interactive session with stakeholders at the Obi Wali International Conference centre, Port Harcourt where he briefed them on his administration’s readiness for Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State legislative elections.

Amaechi, assured the stakeholders of adequate protection of lives and property following his recent meeting with the security operatives who have agreed to be fair to all during the polls.

According to him, “what the security operatives and the state government agreed at the meeting was to design a mechanism on how to stop the attempt by militants and PDP thugs to snatch and hijack INEC materials during the Saturday polls. Voters and Party agents should not allow this hoodlums take over the election. They can’t kill all of us. We are aware that Militants and hired PDP thugs who claim to be loyalists to Mrs. Jonathan are planning mayhem. But, the Police and the Military have assured the state government they will deploy more troops to guarantee safety and protection of lives and property.”

“What am assuring you now is security to come out and vote and to also say to INEC that we need the result sheets at the units and collation centres. Even if the staff they employed are all PDP members but we still need the result sheets. We don’t want anybody to force us on whom to vote ,we want our votes to count. Let the wife of the president remain in her house and not force a candidate on us. The security in our meeting with them assured us that votes will count and I hope they will keep to that.”

“The security operatives requested that I should address you and assure you that they will not be bias and I hope they will keep to that. The PDP guber candidate Nyesom Wike, can go ahead to abuse us as he wants, but the fight to ensure a free, fair and credible election is inevitable. Don’t be intimidated by these forces of darkness. The Police and the Military owe us a duty and responsibility to create a conducive atmosphere for our people to exercise their franchise. Your responsibility as citizens of this state is to come out enmass and vote”.

“The APC guber candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside is our candidate. Rivers People have a choice to vote Dakuku or Wike, but, as for me, we will all vote for Dakuku Peterside. Nobody has the right or the powers to force any candidate on Rivers people without allowing the people to make their choice of leadership. Our votes must count, there will be no bias this time around. The responsibility of INEC is to provide all the voting materials and result sheets to collate the votes at the polling units”, Amaechi said.

The State Chief Executive expressed dismay over the unlawful activities of Militants and hired political thugs by the PDP in the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area and ordered the immediate ban of motorcyclists popularly called (Okada )in and around the local government until the Saturday elections are concluded.

“We are all aware of the Unlawful activities of militants and hired PDP thugs. The killings of APC supporters have become alarming and the security operatives have assured us of protection of lives and property “.

“I want to call on all those living in Omoku and it’s environs to come out and vote. Security operatives have put in place crack teams to track down offenders. The intimidation by the Police and Military during the last Presidential poll is over and will not repeat again”, Amaechi explained.
He called on traditional rulers, opinion leaders and party faithfuls to assist government sensitize their people at the grassroots on the need for the people to come out enmass and exercise their franchise.

”I call on traditional rulers, politicians and opinion leaders to take this singular message to their people to come out en mass and vote candidates of their choice. What happened during the March 28 Presidential Poll will not occur any longer”, Amaechi noted.
[url]
http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/guber-elections-mrs-patience-jonathan-loyalists-are-planning-mayhem-in-rivers-amaechi/[/url]

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI, GOVERNOR, RIVERS STATE ON THE NEED FOR PEACEFUL CONDUCT DURING THE 2015 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN RIVERS STATE.


My dear people of Rivers State,

Our administration is finally winding down to the finish line. I want to use this opportunity to thank you all for standing by me and our administration in the past 8 years through many trying moments. But for your great company and incredible support, it would have been a much more difficult journey.

Therefore, in the days ahead, we must continue to close our ranks for even more battles. We should never be deterred because the battles are not ours alone. God is on our side and victory will always be His.
You will recall that a few months ago we embarked on a journey to seek a new direction not just for our state but also for our country. That journey culminated in a general election; the first part took place on March 28th; the second part will take place on 11 April.

It is with great pleasure therefore that I address you today as we set our eyes on the governorship elections, scheduled for Saturday, April 11 2015, to elect the administration to complete the job we started.

Our vision when we came into government was clear. It was to provide our people with all the things that would enable them live in a pleasurable, peaceful and harmonious society. Understanding the challenges of poverty and want, we worked to ensure a level ground for all our children to have access to free and qualitative education and for all our people to enjoy free health. We worked to improve our infrastructure and made our environment more business friendly. All of these were geared to return our state to its pride of place – and we made significant progress. Sadly this progress began to deteriorate as Rivers state faced numerous denials especially the loss of our oil wells. For years, we tried to persuade the government at the centre to be fair to our people and return their revenue and rights to enable us use them for our peoples’ ultimate good but this was denied them. With dwindling federal revenue as a result of questionable fiscal management and more recently dwindling oil prices, all states around the country found it difficult to meet their obligations to the people. The case wasn't any different in Rivers State. I was indeed pained when on a visit to Igwuruta town, I met a woman who complained that her children couldn't go to school because they couldn't pay the examination fees introduced by head teachers to address some of their funding issues.

With regards to security, we had battled all those who plunged our state into insecurity and we were winning the security battle with the support of the security agencies. Again our gains in this area were badly eroded as political battles caused some persons to take our state back to those inglorious days of crime and criminality. Unperturbed by the result of encouraging crime, they worked assiduously to compromise our security agencies, destroy the security system and give impetus to persons who hitherto had found criminality no longer profitable.

We will do our best to stem this drift and we hope that the government that takes over from us will do even more. With a new government at the centre, the need to perform to justify the confidence of Nigerians would be stronger now than ever before. Rivers state will therefore be well positioned to benefit from this new dawn. If we appreciate the need for free education, free health, improved infrastructure and agriculture programmes that create jobs, then it makes sense for us to go out on April 11 and vote for a government that has the integrity and impetus to deliver on all of these.

Elections in Rivers State should be about equity and our peaceful co existence as a people. It should be about encouraging those who aspire to office to work in the interest of the people. I am optimistic that these elections will be historic for us now that the whole world is watching and waiting to see the outcome.

As a Nation, we have already set a good example for the whole of Africa in showing that we can decide our affairs devoid of rancor and violence. I am therefore confident that as a State, we can follow this trend as we head to the polls on Saturday for the gubernatorial elections.

As a government, we have worked with you to make history in our state. We believe firmly in the resilient power of the people to determine what is best for them. Over the past 8 years, we have worked hard to make this possible. On April 11, we have a choice to continue this progress or endanger it.

We call on everyone to turn out on Saturday, April 11, to be counted as history makers.

The Presidential elections have come and gone and we are still united as a Nation. Regrettably, we lost a number of our citizens to death as a result of unprovoked attacks. Some of our citizens have also been harassed, kidnapped and thrown into detention on trumped up charges. My sympathy goes out to the families of all those who have lost their lives. I also want to reassure all those who are still in detention that the night may be long but dawn must come. Indeed, dawn is here.

Despite the marginalization of millions of our people at the Saturday presidential and national assembly elections, we cannot loose faith in our country or in democracy. The frontline contenders for presidency in the March 28th elections have taught us this much. Our President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded the elections and congratulated the President Elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and the President Elect who commended the statesmanship of President Jonathan.

Indeed as good leaders, they have left us a great example and their conduct should define ours in the coming days.

With the largely successful elections of Saturday, March 28th, Rivers state cannot afford to be an exception, as we go to vote on Saturday, April 11th, 2015.

As we prepare for that election, we have a little time to reflect on the issues at stake. It must be about Rivers state. It must be about its progress and the prosperity of all who live here and are from here. It must be about development, good governance, peace and security. We need to stand firm as a people for what we believe in.

When that day breaks, I encourage you all to come out with your Permanent Voters Cards, walk to the polling station to get accredited.
Even if it rains, stand to be counted.

And if the sun decides to bless us with its rays, I urge you all to return for the voting exercise.

This election is about your life, your safety, the wellbeing of your loved ones, your business, and the future of your children, and ultimately, our great state.

Let it be said of you in the future that you stood up to be counted.
Why? Because deep down inside everyone of us, we want a peaceful, transparent, credible and violence-free election, and not a repeat of what seemingly overwhelmed our land in the last elections.

As long as you remain peaceful and law abiding, the state will ensure that its security personnel act professionally, in keeping you safe because they and their families also have a stake in a peaceful election. Certainly, afflictions shall not rise a second time.

Again, I call on the youth to resolve not to be instruments in the hands of politicians who don't wish our people well. Those who divide and pitch us against ourselves are not of us; they are not our friends, they are our enemies and we must avoid them.

We also sound a note of warning to those who have made the importation of violence with small arms and light weapons into Rivers State a trade to stand down the weapons and on violence. Government owes its people a responsibility to protect their lives and property. We will not relinquish this right. To ensure the safety of lives and properties during the elections, an emergency security council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday April 8 to review happenings during the last elections and plan for safe, free, fair and credible elections.

We assure our people that their protection is paramount not just today but also during the elections of April 11. After you have cast your vote, you must remain at the polling station at a reasonable distance where you can see what is going on.

Kindly ignore those who say you cannot stay at the polling station. You have every right to do so.

Firstly, the election is about your lives, so why should it take place and be concluded behind your back?

Secondly, no law forbids you from staying at the polling station. You simply are not allowed to disturb other voters, interfere with the process or campaign for votes on Election Day.

Thirdly and most importantly, the Electoral Act requires that the result at each polling station must be collated, announced by the officials and posted at the polling station.

The question to ask those who say you cannot stay at the polling station is this: Who will hear the results, and to whom will they be announced, if voters have left?

The eyes of the world will be on Rivers State and I believe that we can collectively set a better example by being law abiding and peaceful. Let us shame the troublemakers and keep a date with destiny for ourselves and generations unborn.

Great people of Rivers State, history beckons on us, and history is a demanding judge. In concluding this address, may I in the spirit of the Easter appeal to all those who may have been offended by my actions or inactions to forgive me. As your governor, elected to serve you, we have always meant well, and will always mean well. As our administration winds down, we wish to guarantee you that we will do everything to ensure that we fulfill our promises to you and give you good reason to be glad that you are Rivers people, proud, resilient and greater together.


God bless Rivers State
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Thank you
RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI, con
Governor, Rivers State.


http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/address-by-his-excellency-rt-hon-chibuike-rotimi-amaechi-governor-rivers-state-on-the-need-for-peaceful-conduct-during-the-2015-gubernatorial-elections-in-rivers-state/

Today, February 21, 2015, the Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus again danced naked in the market square as he continued on his grossly irresponsible, repugnant and contemptuous, albeit, feckless mission of denigrating and disparaging the person and office of the Governor of Rivers State and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.


Secondus, who sadly represents a tiny but inglorious cabal of desperate and despicable persons from Rivers State that has woefully failed the State and its people, shamelessly told a press conference in Abuja that Governor Amaechi is the main problem of the State, amongst other reckless, spurious allegations.


This is the same Secondus who just a couple of years back, hailed Governor Amaechi as the best thing to happen to Rivers State. The same Secondus who said the State was heading down the hill until Governor Amaechi came to its rescue. To Secondus, Amaechi only became a problem when he boldly and stubbornly refused to open the treasury of Rivers State to the smooth operating Prince and his small cabal of treasury looters to feast on.


Rivers people know that it’s rather Secondus and this PDP cabal that are obviously our problem. They want to return Rivers State and its people to the dark days of the pre – Amaechi era, the dark days of corruption, insecurity, cultism, deplorable or zero infrastructure etc while they loot the treasury of the State. Secondus and this PDP cabal are only interested in converting State funds, State resources for their personal use. Converting our collective resources to their individual wealth.


Contrary to the wild claims of Prince Secondus, Governor Amaechi has never and will never be in alliance with cultists. It is a known fact, nationally and internationally, that when he became Governor in 2007, Amaechi chased away these cultists from Rivers State. Many were arrested and prosecuted. He openly condemned them and their criminal activities that had then ruined the economic, social and political life of the State. How can this same Amaechi now be in bed with the same cultists he condemned, fought, arrested, prosecuted and chased away from Rivers State? That is simply not possible.


It is rather Prince Secondus and the PDP, in their desperation for power that are now using federal might to bring back the cultists to Rivers State to unleash wanton violence on Rivers people like they did this past week in Okrika (Rivers State) during the APC governorship rally for Dakuku Peterside, its gubernatorial candidate. We wish to alert the nation and international community that Prince Secondus’ PDP plot is to use these cultists to harass, intimidate and terrorize Rivers people to vote PDP before and during the elections.


That PDP has failed Rivers State and its people is not in doubt. We urge Rivers people to remain resolute in their resolve to do away with PDP at all levels during the elections while they continue to support and vote the change APC represents.


DAVID IYOFOR

Chief Press Secretary To The Governor Of Rivers State

February 21, 2015


http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/response-to-pdp-deputy-national-chairman-prince-uche-secondus-spurious-allegations-against-rivers-state-governor-rt-hon-chibuike-rotimi-amaechi/

talktimi:
Amaechi is Wike's boy, everybody in Rivers state knows that

How's that? the same Amaechi that made Wike's appointment as Minister possible? Wike that was rejected twice by President Jonathan, and Amaechi had to beg for him to be accepted in spite of the fact that the President actually wanted Tonye Cole? Get your facts right, Wike has never been and will never be Amaechi's match.

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi has termed recent insinuations about government expenditure in the state by a former ‘boy’ of the governor and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Nyesom Wike as bogus lies, falsification of figures and clear case of ‘tales by moonlight’.


Amaechi said Wike’s verbal attack during his recent campaign rallies in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor were outright lies being spewed by Wike to deceive the public, a failed attempt to tarnish his (Amaechi’s) sparkling image. “But he should know by now that the people are not gullible and know that Wike is rather an embodiment of corruption and everything that is wrong with our country.”

In a statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, Mr. David Iyofor; Rivers people and Nigerians were urged to disregard Wike’s ranting, tagging Wike as a drowning man who’s only desperate to score cheap political points by falsifying figures and spreading falsehood because he (Wike) has absolutely nothing to offer Rivers people.”

“That Governor Amaechi run a transparent, accountable administration has never been in doubt. Everything about the income and expenditures of this government is in the public domain and has never been shrouded in secrecy. So Wike’s ignominious attempt to dish out cooked figures will never fly.”

He asked Wike to tell the people who he is contesting against. “Is Amaechi a candidate in the governorship elections? Why has Wike insisted on campaigning against someone that is not a candidate? Is Wike clearly telling the public that he is no match for the APC governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside and the only way to divert attention is to keep making wild, spurious claims?

“Of course it is glaring that the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside is by far, a much better choice than Wike. The two can’t be compared in terms of character, attitude, performance and achievements in public service.”

“As supervising minister for education Wike drove the Nigerian education sector to comatose. Universities and Polytechnics across the country were on strike for months. He is known for squandering public funds on frivolous selfish activities.”

“Wike’s plan to return Rivers State to the pre-2007 era of insecurity, incessant crime, thuggery and street cultism will fail woefully, because Rivers people will never accept a man like that.”

“Wike’s constant derailing from an issues-based campaign to falsely accusing governor Amaechi of corruption will never fly. Anybody that has followed the Amaechi administration from its inception will agree that transparency and accountability has been its watchword.”

“Thus, Wike should be advised to focus on rescuing his failed campaign because pointing accusing fingers at Amaechi (who’s not a candidate at the polls) will not win him the elections.”

“He is not and will never be a match, or ever be the same league with Governor Amaechi. From May 29, 2015, Rivers people deserve a people-oriented, humble, transparent, accountable and most importantly God-fearing leader; certainly not a thug-prowling character like Nyesom Wike, ” the statement read.

The statement further urged Rivers people to disregard Wike, the PDP and its antics of fraudulent, concocted “tales by moonlight” against Governor Amaechi.

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/nyesom-wikes-tales-by-moonlight-by-amaechi/
February 12, 2015

…Calls on Rivers people to support power shift

Drawing close to end of his eight years in office, Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has attributed successful implementation of projects in the state to well-defined and purposeful use of finance.

He spoke during the 2015 New Year State Banquet organized by the state on Thursday which attracted state dignitaries and political office holders.

Amaechi said: “We’ve been very prudent, we’ve managed our resources in such a way that we can stand our ground and tell people like Tonye Princewill that we can’t steal money. I will publish the transaction of our power assets and I tell Tonye Princewill and he knows that I don’t like money. Tonye Princewill had a problem with Tonye Cole. It is peer jealousy. Why I said peer jealousy, Tonye Princewill suspected that I was going to make Tonye Cole deputy governor in 2011 and I never had that at the back of my mind and he approached me and said, 'why was I going to do that' and I said it wasn’t part of my agenda."

“If that is the reason for which he is attacking Sahara Oil and attacking me, I wish him luck. Let him tell the state why he’s trying to malign my character and I am open for a debate with him. But like I said he’s my young friend whose ambition is to be governor, I wish him luck. I thank God I had been governor even if he becomes governor, he will be a junior governor to me because I had already become governor before him”

He urged people of the state to appreciate and support the need for power shift in the state’s forthcoming governorship poll.

“I think that the battle for Rivers soul starts now. You are all here seated, go home and get your brothers and sisters to learn that power has to shift hands. It would be wrong to look at myself, an Ikwerre man and support a greedy and ambitious young boy from the same Ikwerre when you have Kalabari, you have Ogoni and other parts of Rivers State that have not served in the office of the governor. It is the responsibility of Rivers people to vote for the party that has put forward change on their agenda. If the reason for which they are puting Ikwerre candidate forward is because of the population of Ikwerre then the rest of Rivers State should forget governorship because it is after one Ikwerre man to another Ikwerre man until they are tired.

“It will not be fair that the mainland will take governorship for 16 years and the riverine won’t take for even four years. I think as a people that we should support that shift so that it will go one day from the riverine to the mainland, back to the riverine, back to the mainland until we begin to talk about merit alone”.

He thanked Rivers people for the opportunity to serve the state and especially thanked elders and leaders of the state including his wife for their supportive roles. He said his wife has been a source of great strength and encouragement.

“Today will be the last New Year Banquet that we hold in office and today I wish to thank my lovely wife for marrying me. From the day she stepped into my house, she has not known peace because she met me a politician and I have been playing politics until today and she has been able to manage me from that day to today and I want to publicly thank you for that”.

He recalled efforts made by his administration during inception to combat insecurity in the state, saying, “I don’t want to bore you with what we met in office but you knew that in our first year by this time, this banquet would have been over because everybody would be running back to his or her house. There was a dinner we had in Government House, by the time the Israelis left here to the hotel, they were kidnapped on the way. The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria was in Port Harcourt for almost one week looking for them until they were released”.

Amaechi appreciated members of the State House of Assembly and the Judiciary and National Assembly members for effectively supporting his administration and ensuring survival of democracy in the state.

“I want to thank members of the State House of Assembly who stood their ground despite the challenges that we faced. In fact, people went as far as collecting money, assuring the President that I would be removed from office and I told them the contract I have with God is not over. To remove me, you need to first go to God but beyond God, it was the fact that members of the State House of Assembly stood by us, so I thank the Speaker and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“I also thank members of the judiciary. You will agree that they are supposed to be non-partisan but some became partisan in the course of our work. Leave them to God. Don’t leave them to human beings. Let God be their Judge. But majority of them were non-partisan and I thank them for being non-partisan and for standing their ground to support Rivers State.

“I thank members of the National Assembly. Out of 13 in the House of Representatives, eight are with us. Out of three in the Senate, two are with us. Only one went his way”, he said.

He also thanked state chapters of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) for their understanding over salient issues and co-operation with his government.

He attributed the drastic fall in allocations to the state from the Federation Account to corruption in the government at the centre and falling world oil price.

He bemoaned the fact that the President Jonathan-led federal administration took oil wells from the state and gave to neighbouring states.

Amaechi who equally expressed disappointment over lack of federal presence in the state, argued that Nigerians need a new lease of life.

He said he would ensure full payment for any loan taken by the state government and will not leave backlog of debts for the incoming administration.

According to him, the APC governorship candidate in the state when elected in the forthcoming governorship election, would sustain his achievements and solicited support for the party’s governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside.
[url]
http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/we-have-been-prudent-in-handling-state-resources-amaechi/[/url]

It's true Wike has a strong grassroots following, but he has no agenda. How he wants to rule Rivers State, we know not. He's just a state political heavy weight that should stay in d background, not the kind we need as governor. Dakuku Peterside is a much better choice. Vibrant, cheerful and knows what he's about. His reign as Commissioner for works was productive. On the other hand Wike's reign as Jnr. Minister of education and later supervising minister was counterproductive. What else can be said. We vote for performance, not thuggery.

The All Progressives Congress, APC governorship hopeful in Rivers State, Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside says Governor Chibuike Amaechi has laid a formidable foundation of service delivery in the state. Hence, he would have no reason not to perform well if he emerges governor in the 2015 general elections.

Hon. Peterside stated this weekend while addressing supporters at Kono Waterfront shortly after he collected his Permanent Voter’s Card in Opobo Town Ward 3.

He said, “I want to express appreciation to Governor Amaechi who made efforts to make Rivers state great. He was a visionary leader who came and transformed the state. He has laid a solid foundation for me.

“I am extremely surprised to meet you people of Kono here because, I didn’t contact anybody to gather you here to meet with me. But, I believe, you heard I was coming home and I will pass through this route to my town, Opobo that was why you decided to gather here to receive me. Let me remind you all that Kono and Opobo has been two neighbouring towns who share common interest. I am very sure that nearly every Opobo person has a family in Kono and I know that if I come to Kono, every Kono person will receive me into their homes. I think, this is a time that every Kono person should begin to kneel down and thank God for locating us,” Peterside said.

He also gave the indication that his administration, if voted into power, would eliminate poverty and build on the economic potentials of the state to achieve a better life for all Rivers People.

“When we assume power in 2015, I will wipe out poverty. I will ensure that the economic potentials are realistic in building a new Rivers State, and that I believe we can do with the help of God Almighty. All we need to do is to give our leadership immense support. We will build on the foundation of Governor Amaechi. In this journey, everybody has a role to play.

“Everything begins with a step and the first step you will take is to go and obtain your voters card. It is your power to determine your leaders in 2015. Don’t subject yourselves to any bribe. It will fail you from the determination of your future. I urge you all to play your part. Promise me that you will not disappoint me. Rivers people should trust me. I mean, I owe you people a responsibility”, He said.

The APC guber aspirant also promised Rivers people that he will make frantic efforts to attract investors to the state and ensure transparency in piloting the affairs of the state to the glory of God.

“I will attract investment opportunities to Rivers State. So, everybody will come and join us to develop the state. We will work with the fear of God. I am a son of God and I will account to God and man through transparency, decency, honesty. All of us must work together, our strength is our unity”, Peterside stated.

He charged the Kono youth vanguard and supporters of APC in Ogoniland to sensitize and enlighten their followers to massively vote him in the 2015 general elections.

Earlier at the ward 3 polling unit in Opobo town, Hon. Peterside said, the PVC is an important document that speaks volume about leadership put in place by the people and urged Rivers people to collect their PVCs and vote him in the 2015 governorship election.

“This is a very important civic duty and I want to encourage everybody to be part of it. Development of this nature rests on leadership. Rivers State needs the kind of leadership to accelerate development and by that we need to obtain our PVC to maintain the needed change. We want leaders who will pursue our desires and aspirations. Our leaders should see election as a necessary obligation to choose leaders that will build a great nation and that means selfless sacrifice.

I urge all Rivers men and women who feel that we can develop on the foundation of Governor Amaechi to get their PVC’s and vote for us. We can build on that to develop our dream. With what I have seen today, if it is what is happening in other polling units across the state, then, we should say, INEC is working. And it means, votes will count”, Dakuku said.

[url]governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/amaechi-has-laid-a-solid-foundation-in-rivers-peterside/[/url]

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has urged Rivers people to vote out the PDP-led federal government in next year’s election to secure their future.

Amaechi spoke at the weekend in Degema, the headquarters of Degema Local Government Area of the state after commissioning an 8,000-sitting capacity football stadium complex built by the local government administration.

Amaechi said the PDP have nothing to offer Kalabari people, and one way for the people to regain their lost oil wells and benefit from democratic governance was to vote out the PDP.

Amaechi explained that the President was taking sides in the Soku oil wells matter, as he narrated the president's reaction during a meeting with Kalabari Chiefs.

“In that meeting, before Kalabari Chiefs, Mr. President said to us, ‘you people call it Soku, we from Bayelsa call it Oluasiri’. ‘Is Soku Oluasiri?', he questioned and the people said ‘no’.

“As President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is not supposed to take sides. The moment he said it is called Oluasiri, he is taking sides and we have no faith in Mr. President returning our oil wells. They have taken the (Soku) oil wells, they are spending the money because they have the Presidency. The only way you can get back your oil wells is to vote out Mr. President. The only opportunity you have now is your vote. Vote him out, he is not Rivers, He is from Bayelsa. He has not and will not serve us and I have said here, let Mr. President tell us what he has done for us", Amaechi said.

He noted with regret that his efforts to build Trans-Kalabari road in the state and reconstruct the Emohua-Abonnema federal road already in deplorable condition was frustrated by President Jonathan.

He therefore called on the people to fight for their rights by using their voting strength to correct all anomalies by voting out the ruling PDP.

“When I was coming here (to Degema), I saw the Emohua-Abonnema road, it’s going bad. When I met the President with Kalabari Chiefs and I told the President: ‘that road is going very bad, if we don’t intervene now, that road will soon be impassable. Mr. President, that road is a federal road’, and he said, he knows. And I then asked: ‘Mr. President, can the Rivers State Government reconstruct that road? Because that is the only road by which Kalabari people come out to town’ but Mr. President said no."

"He told me ‘no' and said he(federal government) would do it. One year plus, he has not done it. So what you will do to make sure you have a road next year is to vote out PDP. If Mr President says he is our brother, because I hear Kalabari people say he is our brother, let him do our road, let him return our Soku oil wells."

“I begged him (President Jonathan) that the federal government is owing Rivers State N105 billion, he should take N50 billion from there and help me construct Trans-Kalabari road, he said, 'Amaechi, I will do it’. Three years after, Mr. President has not done it, so he is not a Kalabari man. Don’t follow your buccaneer brothers, who want to be governor and all that and because of their personal selfish interests, they want to sell the Kalabari Kingdom. You are the youths, defend your kingdom. Nobody should take away what belongs to you. The Kalabari people are known to fight for their right. They are people who can stand up to any challenge to protect themselves and their people. One way to defend your kingdom is to vote out those who don’t have your interest at heart”, he noted.

On the commissioned project, Governor Amaechi commended Degema Council Chairman, Hon. Ibigoni Daddy Pokima for constructing the state-of-the-art Sports Complex named after late Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry, immediate past Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Earlier, the Degema Council boss, Hon. Pokima said history was made in the local government area by the visit of the governor.

He said his administration has concentrated on providing democratic dividends to the people of the local government area and thanked Governor Amaechi for his immense support.

“Your Excellency, I feel a sense of fulfillment to say that Bakana, Oguruama, Amatamgbolo and Fuche communities have been hooked up to the national grid. Then we thought of coming back to our first dream – engaging and channelling the energy of our youths into meaningful venture other than in restiveness and militancy, hence the vision to build this sports complex."

“As a government, we are gratified that the vision we conceived about three years ago has come to solid fruition. I believe this complex will provide a serene and conducive atmosphere for our people especially our youths to develop and exhibit their sporting prowess”, he said.

After the commissioning, Governor Amaechi took a shot at goal to kick-off the peace tournament between Team Rivers and Team Degema.

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/vote-out-pdp-secure-your-future-amaechi-tells-rivers-people/

More photos from the visit, including the conferment of a Chieftaincy title 'Ugwugwu of Emohua (Pride of Emohua) on the governor.

"I was overwhelmed with the large turnout of the people of Emohua when I visited yesterday. The large crowd met me at East-West road and followed me right into the heart of the community. I really appreciate their support, love and loyalty, and that of all Rivers people. Together we have achieved great developmental milestones, and together we will continue to move Rivers State forward." - Gov. Chibuike Amaechi

Governor Amaechi Debunks Fake Online Story On Purported Comments About Governors Babangida Aliyu And Sule Lamido

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has decried the tactless act by desperate politicians of writing and posting on the social media fake stories and concocted statements which have been falsely attributed to him.

Amaechi spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, in reaction to a recent topic on Nairaland.com: “How Aliyu and Lamido deceived me- Gov. Amaechi.”

He said “that is a false story obviously cooked up by mischievous haters, desperate politicians. Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi did not make such derogatory comments about his colleague Governors, Aliyu Babangida of Niger State and Sule Lamido of Jigawa State. He did not speak to anyone or say the things attributed to him in that fake posting. It is a big lie, baseless and unfounded. And to confirm it was fabricated, the story had no source.”

“This smear campaign against the governor and others like it will not sell. The public is now wiser and well informed to believe such gibberish. Whoever is writing, posting, publishing or sponsoring these lies should look for something else to do and stop spreading false rumours.”

David Iyofor
Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor.

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/governor-amaechi-debunks-fake-online-story-on-purported-comments-about-governors-babangida-aliyu-and-sule-lamido/

Governor Amaechi Debunks Fake Online Story On Purported Comments About Governors Babangida Aliyu And Sule Lamido

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has decried the tactless act by desperate politicians of writing and posting on the social media fake stories and concocted statements which have been falsely attributed to him.

Amaechi spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, in reaction to a recent topic on Nairaland.com: “How Aliyu and Lamido deceived me- Gov. Amaechi.”

He said “that is a false story obviously cooked up by mischievous haters, desperate politicians. Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi did not make such derogatory comments about his colleague Governors, Aliyu Babangida of Niger State and Sule Lamido of Jigawa State. He did not speak to anyone or say the things attributed to him in that fake posting. It is a big lie, baseless and unfounded. And to confirm it was fabricated, the story had no source.”

“This smear campaign against the governor and others like it will not sell. The public is now wiser and well informed to believe such gibberish. Whoever is writing, posting, publishing or sponsoring these lies should look for something else to do and stop spreading false rumours.”

David Iyofor
Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor.

http://governor.riversstate.gov.ng/press/governor-amaechi-debunks-fake-online-story-on-purported-comments-about-governors-babangida-aliyu-and-sule-lamido/

Here's a response from Governor Amaechi's Chief Press Secretary.

Re: How Aliyu and Lamido deceived me- Gov. Amaechi

Desperate politicians are at it again. This topic on Nairaland: "How Aliyu and Lamido deceived me- Gov. Amaechi" is fake, obviously cooked up by mischievous haters.
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi never said a word attributed to him in that fake posting, that had no source. This smear campaign against the governor and others like it will not sell. The public is now wiser and well informed not to believe such gibberish. Whoever is writing, posting, publishing or sponsoring these lies should look for something else to do and stop spreading falsehood.

David Iyofor
Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor.