The atmosphere outside my room on that fateful
day was calm and friendly. I could see two camels
and two turkeys
hovering around the premises. I had just finished
breakfast and spent about thirty minutes talking
about politics and the
media with my new friend Philemon. We had just
met formally that morning after discovering that we
were next door neighbours. I had visited the
governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Amaechi in Port
Harcourt. I had noticed this slim
gentleman a few times at the reception of Mr.
Amaechi’s office in the past one week. I overheard
his aides call his office 105 – I wonder what that
meant. Although I greeted the man, we could not
discuss much before the governor called me in.
Meeting him again at the breakfast table the next
day we had to introduce ourselves to one another.
One thing led to the other and we started talking.
After the conversation, we now looked like people
who had known
each other for a lifetime. I remember excusing
myself because I was running late, and so, I had to
cross over to see if the governor was still at his
residence.
On my way to him I noticed an unusual number of
people gathered and talking in low tones. Others
were walking hither thither. It was too early for
such a crowd. What could be wrong I wondered, but
continued until I met another politician and tried to
ask him. Great guy, but he busied
himself talking to me in parables. As I was
struggling to interpret his statement, I saw another
friend of the governor waving at me. This time
frantically. It was quite unusual.
Mohammed is an easy-going person and generous
man who is always smiling. What would have put
him in such an unsettled mood, I wondered. Call
BBC, call Sahara
Reporters; Uche what are you people doing? He
was almost shouting at me on top of his voice –
walking and running at the same time. At that point
I left my friend and hurried into the governor’s main
residence to ascertain what happened.
Something was definitely wrong.
The 9th of July 2013 – do you remember? That was
the day they attempted violently, but
unsuccessfully, to impeach the
former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi. The
clips of that horrible day are still very clear in my
mind. A day I will
always remember to forget and forget to remember.
As soon as I entered his compound, I tried to look
for the then
governor among the multitude of people gathered.
There was momentary chaos and pandemonium. I
later spotted him in white trousers and white shirt to
match. He looked ruffled, confused, restless, and
was panting from one part of the compound to the
other. He was obviously rattled by
what happened and was trying to figure out what to
do. I was frightened and I prayed. About ten people
were walking around with him and trying to talk to
him at the same time.
From time to time he would pause, step aside, and
discuss with one person or another. His phone was
ringing
incessantly, and each time he excused himself from
the crowd to make or answer calls. The calls kept
coming even from the phone of his orderly. I
watched him from my corner and imagined he was
talking to important people. It was a tough time for
him and all of us. My wife called me
severally to beg me to return back to England. Many
of my friends followed suite. One of my former
classmates in Ibadan called me several times, and
when she noticed I was avoiding her calls, she sent
me a text that I still cannot forget. It read thus: “I
think you said that your Amaechi is a lion, now that
he has been impeached, you should get ready to be
taking beans to him in Kuje prison”. I read the text
dismissively and continued to watch.
In a twinkle of an eye, Governor Amaechi drove out
through the back gate of Brick House with a few
security men.
Before he left he handed over a document (that I
was later told was the Supplementary Budget) to his
Deputy Governor who was also in premises.
Somehow the Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru appeared
more composed than the Governor on that day, as
if he knew a little more about the whole drama.
At some point, the leader of Rivers State House of
Assembly Hon. (now Dr Chidi Lloyd) came into the
compound. He was dressed in his usual white attire
with
red cap. I noticed that his top was squeezed and
there were blood stains all over him. I suspected he
had been injured by someone. He immediately
narrated how a gesture of
handshake from him to Hon. Evans Bipi was
rewarded with a hot slap. At that point, out of
curiosity, I had to get into the car and asked my
driver to take me to the House of
Assembly. I wanted to see things for myself. When
I arrived the State House of Assembly, the gate had
been blocked by
more than fifty anti-riot policemen. I managed to
gain entry by posing at the back of the car. The
policemen mistook me to be one big man. When I
entered inside, I got the full story. Earlier in the day,
five lawmakers loyal to former Minister of
Education, now Governor Nyesom Wike, had
attempted to impeach former Governor Amaechi
now Minister but failed. The rest as they say is now
history.
I had to tell this story for many reasons. Whenever
people start fighting Amaechi up to the point that
you think that they are succeeding, it does not
really bother me much. I know that God always
shows up and comes to his rescue. It jas happened
so many times before my very eyes. I have
concluded that it is not really about him. Yes. I did
not believe that President Jonathan’s men would
not defeat and
disgrace the former Rivers State Governor as the
Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF).
The paraphernalia of the Presidency was deployed
in full gear. Somehow at the last minute, the tide
turned and Amaechi triumphed. You remember the
19 vs 16 saga. Of course, no one believed
that he would finish his tenure as governor of Rivers
State.
They had announced his impeachment on radio and
network news. The then Police Commissioner, now
retired AIG Joseph Mbu, had been detailed to pick
him up and bring him to incarceration in Abuja like a
common criminal. A helicopter was already waiting
at the Port Harcourt Airforce
base to ferry the man to Abuja. Mbu came like a
conqueror the next day and even threw teargas
canisters at Brick House. I was terrified but
somehow, he could not carry out Amaechi’s arrest
because the impeachment failed and the National
Assembly took over the Rivers State House of
Assembly. With all the Presidential backing and all
the rumours, God fought for that man. His
detractors were practically disgraced. To all those
who are persecuting
Amaechi by trying to tar him with the brush of
corruption, I have one line for you. Look into history
and learn your lesson. It is not about this man or
his strength. It is
probably about the grace of God upon his life.

Source: www.versatilereporters.com/2016/11/how-god-fights-for-chibuike-rotimi.html?m=1