[color=#006600][/color]Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has stated that what happened in Ekiti on 21 June during the governorship election that resulted in the loss of the incumbent Governor, Kayode Fayemi of APC to Ayodele Fayose of the PDP, cannot happen in Rivers State

Amaechi spoke during an interview with Government House Correspondents on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, on Thursday.

He said while he would not disprove the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the fairness of the polls, he was disturbed by the militarization of the state during the election.

“From the INEC point of view, yes, you can say it was fairly done, but what do you say about the military? The military officers were escorting PDP people sharing money and sharing wrappers, rice and beans; and that influenced the voting parten. Arresting APC supporters, especially those who were in the position to command votes and all that was also a factor,” he said.

Asked what the PDP victory in the Ekiti governorship election means for Rivers State in 2015, Amaechi said the two states and their voting masses do not share similar features.

“Why not wait until 2015? You see, there are basic differences. The differences are, first, Ekiti is mostly a civil service town, so if the civil servants decide on one way then you have to go along that way.

The governor argued that the second reason why Rivers votes would not go the PDP way is the fact that the people of the state have been oppressed enough by the ruling PDP at the centre.

“We have a situation where we don’t have development in Rivers State. Eighty per cent of development you have in Rivers State were done by me as governor of Rivers State and the fact that the Rivers man is trying to liberate himself. Now you have to be present at politics at the national level before you emasculate the Rivers man, coupled with the fact that the voters here have two clear choices to make. You either identify with God and His people or you identify with satan and his people. And I think we are godly to the extent that we’ve built schools that impact directly on the lives of the people.

“The education is free of charge. We don’t charge school fees either at the Primary or secondary school level. The university school fees is at its lowest level and we are providing free healthcare. This is what the people call partially ‘stomach infrastructure,’ then we will probably increase the stomach infrastructure which means we should be listening to what the people are saying. But I think the people took out their anger on the wrong person, because when you say stomach infrastructure, the Federal Government takes 56 per cent of the national revenue, what have they done with it? That is where they should be asking for stomach infrastructure, but because they relate directly with the governor, that is why they took out this thing on the governor, but you see, it discourages governors and you have to ask, ‘are we going to play development politics or we are going to play stomach politics?’ For me, I will continue with development politics,” Amaechi said.

The governor reaffirmed his commitment to politics of development, providing dividends of democracy to the people of the state and said numerous projects executed by his administration across the state are geared towards meeting the needs of the people particularly in education and health care.

He noted that the people of the state do not require paying for healthcare services or educational opportunities as far as his administration is concerned.

“We will continue to champion the cause of all Rivers people by fulfilling their needs through projects implementation,” he said.

Meanwhile, social media, especially facebook, are inundated with photographs of Fayose’s branded quarter bag size rice which were distributed to voters before last Saturday’s election in Ekiti State.

Thousands of such bags, also branded with PDP umbrella logo, were distributed to voters in what many described as ‘stomach infrastructure’. Some recipients could be seen smiling away with the rice, while others could be seen in long queue with the branded bags of rice.

Many believe the rice and cash gifts from the PDP induced the electorate to vote massively for Fayose who won by a landslide in all the 16 local government councils in the state.

This is the reason Amaechi thought PDP won:

“From the INEC point of view, yes, you can say it was fairly done, but what do you say about the military? The military officers were escorting PDP people sharing money and sharing wrappers, rice and beans; and that influenced the voting parten

The fool then contradicted himself by asserting below:

“Why not wait until 2015? You see, there are basic differences. The differences are, first, Ekiti is mostly a civil service town, so if the civil servants decide on one way then you have to go along that way.

Tinubu the drug lord is probably selling this fool some top class coke.

Amaechi oga eme gi vum vum vum n'anya

Then again he said the PDP has oppressed the state that 80% of the development in the state is done by him! now done by under PDP or APC? If PDP oppressed river state was he not the PDP chief in rivers state? It's like he no longer smoke supporter of APC but he chews it now.

Amaechi is talking as if developmental politics is the most important thing in Nigerian politics. Nigeria is a country where many are hungry and doing developmental projects while people are hungry is a bad tactic. The way money can circulate is by employing people directly or indirectly through projects. The problem is most apc governors don't give projects to contractors in their states, most times to contractors from Lagos & also treat civil servants badly. In Lagos you may escape but you can't in states that have high proportion of civil servants. That's why bisi akande lost then in Osun & Lam in Oyo. That's why aregbe & ajimobi may loose in those states too. It seems apc never learn. Make people hungry at the expense of developmental projects and they'll vote you out.

This guys never learn, if they continue like this i see PDP making aregbe EX and turning APC to opposition in Osun come august.

Trying to find the logical link binding Amaechi's comments is a very daunting task. Give the guy a mic and within 2 mins, he will contradict himself in many ways.

2015 is not far. Rivers people will decide.

Olumidzti: Amaechi is talking as if developmental politics is the most important thing in Nigerian politics. Nigeria is a country where many are hungry and doing developmental projects while people are hungry is a bad tactic.

amechi is a family size salah ram.tinubu pls quite seling cheap coke to amechi,we wil hold u responsible wen amechi sleps in diobu market.

The high poverty level av spoken in ekiti.imagine pple prefer rice to development

Keep deceiving urself amaechi

Oge me ya voom nanya

Every man his own.

shebi election na 8 months time.
advice: prepare to cry

If d PDP can take away ekiti from APC, WOT MAKES IT HARD FOR DEM TO TAKE AWAY RIVERS STATE FROM you?

This guy again

Amaechi has just called Ekiti people fo0ls and Rivers people damned idi0ts.

R

Amaechi is the worst thing that happened to APC. In their bid to topple pdp, they brought in a talkative who doesn't know when silence is golden.

APC mod, you are this active in deleting my post but could not prevent a possible breakdown of Nairalands database, you are so quick to hide my post but blind to see the post of the person that first quoted to insult me.

It's too early to start this foolishness.

Demdem:
Goon, learn what? So because u support Jonathan, amaechi should also right?
Oponu.

Amaechi the clown, living in fool's paradise since 1423.

If Amaechi is sure of this, why dont he conduct Local Government Elections like Delta State is doing. Sometimes, dreams appear so real that it affects the mindset and actions of the dreamer.

brownlord: APC mod, you are this active in deleting my post but could not prevent a possible breakdown of Nairalands database, you are so quick to hide my post but blind to see the post of the person that first quoted to insult me.

It's too early to start this foolishness.

wait, how was this guy made a mod?

Aspireahead:
wait, how was this guy made a mod?

You mean demdem? If that guy becomes mod. Then you need no one to tell you nairaland is dead and buried, I'm talking about the APC mod that deleted my comment and left his even though he insulted me first

The more Amaechi talks the more his stupidity becomes too glaring for all to see.



NOTA BENE: APC on the run.

Amaechi, elrufai, tinubu, buhari, atiku - dis crew! But why do they look so much alike? Has it ever on a serious note occured to any1 else these folks WILL NEVER lead again in nigeria? I even doubt any1 they openly support can ever garner d backing of a clearthinking nigerian, now and in d future... They being so infested wid disrespect for elders n constituted authority, concealed contempt for d youth, extremism,sky rocketed puffed ego, malice when things dont go their way, pulldown syndrom. Fake gentlemen.