Since political crisis broke out in 2012 and tore apart two kinsmen and close political allies, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, Rivers State has never known peace. Amaechi is from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Council Area and Wike is from Rumueprikon in Obio/Akpor Local Council, all Ikwerre men and Rivers political leaders. Both have been allies; Amaechi is believed to have made Wike a local council boss (Obio/Akpor) against all odds, made him chief of staff and minister. On the other hand, Wike stood for Amaechi when the whole world led by Olusegun Obasanjo seemed to come down on him. Wike fought the fierce battle that won back the governorship from the Supreme Court and formed the backbone in the administration that scared away enemies till Amaechi stabilised.
The rest of the relationship has been toxic, leading to a polarisation of Rivers State into PDP and APC rival camps in the state. Many lives have been lost and much poison has passed between their camps. The result has been that no single election has gone down well in the state for almost a decade. It is either one party is boycotting or trouble. Many important persons and thrones in the country are understood to have attempted to reconcile them without success, leading to a notion that when two cocks fight, it can only end when one cock drops dead. No man can separate two fighting cocks, people say.
So, on April 11, 2019, the day the very last cases in the Supreme Court concerning the governorship struggle between Amaechi’s camp in the APC and Magnus Abe’s camp came to an end, Governor Wike made a radio live broadcast where he celebrated the final end and thus offered a hand of reconciliation in what is now called an olive branch to Amaechi in particular and APC in general. Many have jubilated, saying the end of the troubles was in sight. The masses urged Amaechi to reciprocate. Over one week later, Amaechi issued an Easter Message where he talked about peace and reconciliation.
Most persons went into final celebration, saying Amaechi had asked for forgiveness. Some however, taunted the minister for allegedly causing bloodshed and turning round to ask for reconciliation and forgiveness.
While the reactions trailed along, BDSUNDAY listened hard underground to seek any vibes that suggest that Wike meant well and Amaechi truly wanted forgiveness from Wike and the PDP. This writer said at the onset that the APC did not look in the mood for rapprochement after being forced out of the elections through the courts believed to be the handiwork of the governor working with APC’s Magnus Abe. Both Abe and Wike have severally denied this.
What Wike offered
(Government House report of the broadcast)
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to join hands with him to develop the state. Wike said that Rivers State stands to benefit more if all leaders came together.
He said: “Although the present politics of acrimony and bitterness may have strayed from the noble path of the past, I still believe that we shall be better off standing and working together for our state and our people.
“I therefore, appeal to the APC and the Minister of Transportation to join hands with us to move our dear state forward. We cannot as leaders continue to remain divided and expect government to deliver on its responsibilities to our people. Let us from henceforth, seek the common ground instead of allowing our differences to be exploited to retard our march to progress.
“I appeal to our people to eschew all acts of acrimony, criminality, unrest, and violence throughout the state. I wish to recommit myself to continue to do all that is humanly possible to ensure the unity and peaceful co-existence of all our people irrespective of political affiliation”.
He directed the State Attorney General and Commissioner to review all pending criminal cases linked to politics before the 2019 elections and make necessary recommendations to promote reconciliation.
He said: “I hereby direct the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal proceedings filed against any person by the state and directly related to political activities prior to the 2019 general elections and make appropriate recommendations to me for necessary action to promote reconciliation among us”.
Governor Wike pledged to run an inclusive government aimed at promoting and developing the state.
“Today, I recommit myself to be the governor for all the people of Rivers State for the next four years. Accordingly, we shall form an all-inclusive government to advance the collective interest of all our people, irrespective of party, ethnic or religious affiliations.
“We have come a long way in the last four years and accomplished a lot to be proud of. But there’s still a lot more to do to advance and realise the ultimate vision of our founding fathers for a truly united, secure, and prosperous state and we need the support of all our people to realise this bold vision,” he said.
“We salute the opposition for their courage to fight within the confines of the law to the end. Now that the legal battle is over, the task of building the State must take precedence over all other considerations,” he further said.
What Amaechi wants
(Easter Message)
“No doubt, our state has endured a tortuous political season which saw political parties jostle and cajole Rivers people to make choices. Our state which was known and respected as the Treasure Base of the nation, is now almost always in the news for the wrong reasons. This is not the Rivers State of our dreams. We must find our way back to the path of a glorious future. I am one of you, therefore, as your father, son and brother, I beseech you to be of good courage and join hands to build and restore the glory of our state,” the minister said.
“For us as Rivers people, this is a moment for sober reflection and forgiveness. I will not hesitate to implore that we all ask God for forgiveness and mercy for all the things done or left undone and from the citizens for the pain and anguish that they have brazenly suffered which most times are unreported. The persistence of gang violence, kidnappings and killings in parts of the state has dealt a telling blow on the psyche of the people. People no longer feel safe or sleep with their two eyes closed.
“For those of us who feel a sense of personal loss as a result of the last electioneering in the state, I say, don’t despair, you have vital work to do in the Rivers project. Believe me; with wisdom and patience, you will own the future,” he further said.
“Always remember that the task of enthroning a party into power is not as high a calling of patriotism than the task of making personal sacrifices for the peace and general good of the state. Therefore, I appeal to all who truly love our dear Rivers State, to join hands in building the state irrespective of their party affiliations.
“No amount of provocation or even threats should challenge the Rivers spirit of oneness, unity and harmony in you. To the youths, I urge you not to see crime as an escape route from the difficult times we are going through in Rivers State today. I am confident that with resilience and prayer, you can always pull through.
“Remember, resurrection comes in the morning, therefore, have hope and a renewed commitment to wait till the resurrection morning,” Amaechi said.
What Amaechi camp thinks
Wike had blamed everything that went wrong in the past in the state on Amaechi, and traced every lost kobo to him. Now, Amaechi’s camp insists no peace deal is on the table to be considered. A source close to Amaechi told this Reporter that Amaechi was not facing any prosecution that required the Attorney-General to show mercy. Another Amaechi’s aide urged this writer to ignore insinuations that Amaechi seeks reconciliation with Wike.
Amaechi has remained silent on whether he would accept reconciliation or not. He only issued his Easter message which has been taken to different meanings by different camps. Instead, it is others who have spoken for Amaechi even in vitriolic terms, but the minister has not rejected any of what his allies have said.
Chukwuemeka Eze, a media consultant and chieftain of the APC that has been with Amaechi since the defection of the former governor from the PDP to APC, shook the table when he retorted that Wike, by offering reconciliation to Amaechi, was playing a game and that the message (offer) fell below the expected.
He said the address failed to address the critical issues bedeviling the state, especially the issue of insecurity and loss of value for lives. He added that the starting point for the governor ought to have been an unreserved apology to Rivers people because he (Wike) engineered the state of insecurity that had destroyed most communities in the state so far.
Eze reiterated that contrary to the erroneous impression as contained in his state broadcast, that Amaechi had no case that Wike’s Attorney-General has to withdraw or to recommend discountenance.
He advised the governor to quit his latter days sermon on peaceful coexistence and save his energies to face the law, which will decide his fate as beneficiary of a flawed electoral exercise. “One would have expected him to address and proffer solutions on the serious issues facing Rivers State, like how the state has become a slaughter house where indigenes are slaughtered and beheaded as if lives no longer counted in the state. While Wike was reading his state broadcast, medical doctors were protesting non-payment of their seven months salaries, even as pensioners and civil servants are at a loss on who to present their plight of non-payment of their salaries and pensions for several months to,” Eze said.
Eze, who said neither Amaechi, nor any other leader within the APC in the state had created the atmosphere of rejection that Wike currently face with Rivers people, whom he claimed had voted massively against him, but had been muscled in by the INEC. Explaining further, Eze highlighted what he called 17 facts as the reasons Rivers people would continue to mobilise against the second term of Governor Wike.
N100bn price on Amaechi?
Eze claimed that he had uncovered N100billion war chest to deconstruct Amaechi. “Governor Wike has set aside a whopping sum of N100 billion war chest for a media campaign against the Minister.
“Impeccable sources, who are well informed of the plot, said the governor has already assembled a team of sworn anti-Amaechi PDP and other opposition elements (names withheld) with a serving senator as coordinator of the project.”
Eze said Amaechi’s offence was simply for leading President Muhammadu Buhari campaigns that led to the defeat of an Ijaw son (Goodluck Jonathan), and a repeat of it in 2019.
According to Eze, insiders in the Wike administration in Port Harcourt had been boasting of late that the onslaught against Amaechi this time around would be targeted at damaging his public image, using the media at all levels as well as on multiple platforms. The end result, he said, was aimed to make the minister unattractive for a reappointment in President Buhari’s next cabinet, adding that a mobilisation of N20billion had already been disbursed to the assembled team.
“A whopping sum of N100billion has been set aside for this task aimed at defaming, smearing, disparaging, blackmailing and frustrating Amaechi’s re-nomination into President Buhari’s new cabinet. Available facts indicate that the sum of N20billion has already be released to the committee comprising some states and national commentators, while further disbursement will be done as the committee progresses in its deadly task,” he said.
Govt House: Silence
The governor has not bothered to say anything further, apart from urging the opposition to make use of the olive branch. He has also made it clear that the offer was no sign of being afraid to fight on.
Other government image makers have remained silent, but unofficially said that Eze was not to be dignified with response. What is certain so far is that no media aid has attacked Amaechi since their boss extended the hand of reconciliation. Observers noted that the aides may not want to dance different steps from their boss. “If they give some time and attacks on the governor continue, the aides may peel off the garb of silence and return to the trenches,” someone told our reporter.
Conclusion: Bizarre
Could Wike be offering reconciliation with his former boss and ally and still be lining up arsenals to shoot down his ministerial appointment? This seems to be seen as events unfold. Some say Wike has nothing more to lose after serving as governor for two terms. Others say he be looking for peace to help deliver his projects and leave something behind. Others argue that the olive branch may be diversionary tacks or a kiss of deaths, only waiting to hit harder, soon. They claim that Amaechi remaining in power in Abuja is a big threat to PH and there may be plots to stop him this time around. Amaechi is said to know the moment his camp lost the Govt House in PH in 2015 that his best bet and that of his camp from Wike was to take up ministerial appointment to create a detente or balance of power. Else, he would have preferred to stay out of government to pursue private career waiting for him. So, both Wike an Amaechi therefore, deeply appreciate the importance of ministerial appointment for Amaechi in the political equation in Rivers State. In this case, it is argued, remaining a minister is very critical to Amaechi for the sake of PH, and falling out of power is thus very important for Wike. It is thus what Wike does in the Amaechi quest for minister that would be real proof of the mindset of the PH Govt House in the coming days and weeks, not minding what Chukwuemeka Eze said he uncovered.
Whichever the case, time will soon tell.
Ignatius Chukwu
