A new twist has emerged in the standoff between the Presidency and the Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi as a member of the House of Representatives, Andrew Uchendu, yesterday raised the alarm of an alleged plot to kill the governor.Uchendu, who represents Ikwere/Emoha Federal Constituency, said the series of attacks on Amaechi in recent times were part of a well-scripted plot by agents of the Federal Government to kill him.
Addressing newsmen at the National Assembly complex, the lawmaker, in a speech entitled “Before Chibuike Amaechi dies,” pleaded with Nigerians to prevail on agents of government to allow the governor live.
He said: “It is my plea to all men of goodwill to prevail on the Federal Government and its agents to allow Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to live.”
Justifying his allegation that the Federal Government was after the life of the governor, Uchendu, who is the House Committee Chairman on Public Service Matters, listed three incidents in recent times, where Amaechi was allegedly manhandled by security operatives.
He recounted: “In May 2013, His Excellency, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, flew into Akure, the Ondo State capital, with the Rivers State Government aircraft on his way to Ado-Ekiti to commiserate with his colleague, His Excellency, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who lost his deputy. On the governor’s return to the airport to leave for Port Harcourt, shockingly, he was not allowed to fly out because his aircraft had been impounded for some strange reasons. The plane remained impounded until few days ago, when it was released.
“Again, on Monday, June 9, 2014, the governor went on a condolence visit to the Governor of Kano State over the death of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero; the chartered aircraft was impounded. The Kano incident was seen to be worse because the governor was not even allowed to leave the airport without some hot exchanges of words.
“It was shocking that the governor had to drive to Abuja that night for fear of being killed. He finally arrived Abuja at 2 a.m.
“As if these two incidents were not enough threat, Rotimi Amaechi, on June 19, 2014, flew into Akure on his way to Ado-Ekiti, to attend the final rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The aircraft landed and on his way to Ado-Ekiti, he was prevented by the Nigerian soldiers from driving into Ado-Ekiti. He was stopped, delayed against his wish.
“To worsen matters, his aircraft was impounded and he was made to drive to Lagos from that point. Soldiers maintained by tax-payers money and at gunpoint forced the governor to leave Ondo State.
ҼWhat could be worse than this in a democratic setting and to an elected governor of a state? This is truly an aberration in governance.
“In all these three incidents, those carrying out the orders are said to be acting on “Orders from above.”
Uchendu maintained “I do not intend to bore you with too many acts of harassment and humiliation meted out to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, by the Agents of Federal Government He has been the only Governor that had his State’s House of Assembly invaded and desecrated by hired tugs and militants; he is the only Governor that has had canisters thrown by the Nigerian Police into its Seat of Power, the Government House, and he has been the only one who the Nigerian Police prevented from driving on the road he constructed to go to the Government House.
“Can all these be said to be politics? I am worried and I am concerned. I want to believe that there are more to all these that meet the eyes.”
The warned lawmaker cautioned that unless the public calls the Federal Government and its agents to order the life of the Governor would remain in danger.
