25th April, 2013
Angry reactions have trailed a call on Governor Chibuike Amaechi to resign to avert political crisis in the state. The call was made by Prince Emman Anyanwu, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, contractor who is building one of the Federal Ministry of Education interventionist projects at the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori and a supporter of Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of state for Education.
Since the sacking of the Rivers Executive of the People Democratic Party, PDP, supporterS have been queuing either behind Governor Amaechi’s faction led by Chief Godspower Ake.
First to react is Mr. Allwell Nyesom, a two-time Commissioner of Sports in Rivers State also from Etche Local Government Area like Anyanwu. He described the call as not only unfortunate but coming from a politician who wavers and refuses to stand for justice when justice is openly seen to be miscarried.
He wondered why Anyanwu has not asked his son, Mr. Charles Anyanwu, a former member of Rivers State House of Assembly now a Special Assistant to Governor Amaechi to resign his position.
In the same vein,the Chairman of Etche Local Government Council of Rivers, Mr Reginald Ukwuoma has commended Amaechi for the numerous projects cited in the area.
He said the recent call by Prince Anyanwu on Amaechi to resign was not the view of Etche people.
“On this note, Etche local government completely dissociates herself from what has been ascertained by many as true, the information from one of us, Prince Emma Anyanwu, stating that the governor of the state should resign.
“If that statement is true as said, Etche local government completely dissociates herself from such statement.
“Anybody calling for the resignation of the governor of the state is completely on his own. Etche local government and her people are irrevocably committed to the cause of the governor because we are better treated.
“There is no reasonable Etche man or woman who can look at the infrastructural development that dot the streets of Etche and call for his resignation.
“We never gave anybody the mandate to speak on our behalf. It is only in Governor Amaechi’s administration that Etche has witnessed massive infrastructural overhauling, starting from the council headquarters to the airport.
“We have not had it like this before, done by one man in one single tenure. The projects are done for our children and future generations, only for one man to call for the governor’s resignation. Nobody should bring bad luck to Etche people,’’ he said.
Ukwuoma also pledged the support of the people for the state government as it continues to provide democracy dividends.
Ukwuoma made these remarks at Okehi, headquarters of the council at the inauguration of 20 political appointees to serve the council.
The appointees are special advisers, senior special assistants and supervisors.
Ukwuoma urged the people to embrace peace and advised the elders to stop playing politics of anger, bitterness and pull him down at all costs, saying such would not be in the interest of the area.
He urged the appointees to cooperate with his administration to move the area forward.
“In his speech, Mr. Ogbonna Nwuke, a member of the National Assembly said that it was unthinkable that somebody should call on Governor Amaechi to resign despite the giant development strides he had achieved.
“All of us are witnesses to what has been going on in Rivers State since the Amaechi administration came into being.
“We have had greater development, we have enjoyed peace. In Etche, there has been development.
Today, we have more than 22 primary schools built by this administration, we have most of our roads here constructed by this administration, we have health centres also built by this administration,’’ he said.
Nwuke, who represents Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, said the comments made by Anyanwu were personal and did not represent the views of Etche people.
He said Etche people were satisfied with Governor Amaechi’s administration and that more than 100 indigenes of the area from poor homes were studying abroad, courtesy of scholarship given by Amaechi.
“Governor Amaechi is focused, offering credible leadership and have refused to be distracted in his quest to develop the state. We urge Rivers people to continue to support him and remain calm and law abiding,’’ he said.
—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
