I fell out with Patience Jonathan because I refused to share Rivers money with her" - Amaechi

Governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi says the major reason he and the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan fell out was because he refused to share the state money with her.

Gov Amaechi said this yesterday October 24th at the graduation ceremony of the Pioneer graduands of
the Ignatus Ajuru University of Education held at Rumuolumeni in Rivers state. He said

"Remember, when I became governor, I fought militancy. Right there where you built a new house used to be a hole where they pass into the river nd escape. The security report
reached me and I came here and chased the militants away. I asked them to fence the school premises and block the hole. I have to protect you because it is my responsibility.

Some of the militants went to Lagos, Ivory Coast, Ghana etc. Today, they are back because the wife of the President bought them back to protest against me."

I refused to give them money in Abuja because if I do that, I won't be able to carry out any developmental projects or finish the road from Rumuolumeni to Rumuepirikom.

The quarel between me and the wife of the Preseident is because she said I should bring your money, Rivers peoples money and share with her"

Governor Amaechi alleges
Governor Amaechi is also quoted to have told the graduands that should they vote for President pJonathan back into power in next year's general elections, rivers state's economy would crumble

"Now that you are graduates, you are eligible voters that can use your voters card to change society. Ask yourself this question that I have always asked Rivers people. What have we (Rivers people) done to President Jonathan that he has refused to bring any project to Rivers state. We had to fight them before they
could do the East-West road. I had to abuse the federal government and they abused me back before they could do the work you now see on that road. Our President, from the South-South, has taken oil wells from Soku in Rivers state to Bayelsa state. What about the
41 oil wells in Etche that was given to Abia state? Is the President or his wife from Abia? Why do they want us to suffer? If President Jonathan comes back to power in 2015, Rivers
state economy will crash" he said

Source: LIB, AIT

PHOTOS: Police Blocked Amaechi From Entering Government House In Port Harcourt

A police detachment in Port Harcourt has prevented the convoy of the Rivers State governor, Rotimi
Amaechi from using one of the two
entrances to the government house
earlier today.
The governor's convoy was stopped as it made it way to through the Fortes road entrance by four truck loads of policemen led by several senior officers.
An argument ensued between the
policemen and the governor's aides as they claimed they were acting on orders from above.
The governor later came down to speak with the police officers who promised to extract a reversal of the order from their superiors in Abuja.
The governor's convoy had to wait for 45 minutes before finally detouring to take the Azikiwe road entrance to to the government house.
Condemning the alleged action the state Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari said on phone that the governor and his guests were forced by the Police allegedly on the orders of the state Police Commissioner, Mr Joseph Mbu to go through the main gate of the Government House.

Wole Soyinka Warns About Perils Of Rivers Crisis

NOBEL LAUREATE, Professor Wole
Soyinka has warned of dire consequences for the country should the crisis in
Rivers State be allowed to degenerate beyond this.

Professor Soyinka, in a statement stated that “even after the Rivers crisis has been resolved, this notorious proceeding will not be permitted to fester unchallenged.”

Making reference to the election of
Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF
In Public Interest, in order to eliminate all further distraction and enable the nation to concentrate on issues that affect the democratic pursuit, it is necessary to make the following information available:

Before the press conference held by Femi Falana and myself – that is, even before the Rivers Assembly fracas - I had been canvassed by opposing sides of the face off, both via telephone and physically.

One such visit, perhaps the most
significant, was made by a Special Adviser in the presidency who outlined what can be regarded as the official rationale for the Governors’ Forum election debacle.

In the process of this exchange, he did make certain complaints against Governor Rotimi Amaechi, including charges of a conflict of interests over certain resources.

This was implied as the root of division between the Governors’ Forum and the Presidency.

I wrote down the details, informed the emissary that I would pass on these accusations to Governor Amaechi – which I did. That Amaechi hotly denied them and offered contradicting facts, which he urged me to verify, remained, and remains utterly irrelevant to the democratic core of the conflict – and this has been made clear to all interventionists: Keyed into this core are:

(i) the arithmetics of democracy involved in figures 16 and 19 at the time, and now, with increased confidence in impunity, the figures 27 and 5.

(ii) whether or not it is democratic , even cultured proceeding that a state governor is barred from public access anywhere within his own zone of constitutional authority, with the massive security apparatus of the centre, on behalf of an unelected individual.

Even after the Rivers crisis has been resolved, this notorious proceeding will not be permitted to fester unchallenged.

For the rest, since beneath the surface of most Nigerian conflicts will be found inordinate greed for public resources, it is perhaps pertinent to remind ourselves that Oil is not the only marvel to emerge from the Delta swamps. There are also exotic creatures – mermaids, manatees, even mammy watas and hippopotami.

However, unlike crude oil, which can be refined, you can extract a
hippopotamus from the swamps, but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus .

Soldiers Withdrawn From Amaechi's Governor's Lodge

As the political chaos in
Rivers State edges towards the
cliff, about 30 soldiers
guarding the Governor's lodge
have been summarily withdrawn by
the Brigade Commander in charge
of the Joint Task Force (JTF)
in Port Harcourt at the orders
of President Goodluck Jonathan.

SaharaReporters also learnt
that the soldiers took with
them two Armored Personnel Cars
(APC) usually stationed at
Government House.

A military source told our
correspondent that the removal of
the soldiers was ordered from
Abuja. He warned that things
might get bloodier in the state
capital with the JTF gone from
Government House leaving the
security of the governor and
his aides in the hands of a
few police officers and State
Security Services agents.
An eyewitness said a new
detachment of soldiers came
briefly to inspect a third APC
that seems disabled.

Saharareporters could not
confirm further reports that the
soldiers that were removed are
being detained and interrogated
at the barracks.

Thugs invade Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Speaker (Watch Video)

The video captured an attack led by a member of the Rivers State house of assembly in an attempt to impeach the speaker of the house. The Speaker and 26 other members of the house are loyal to the governor, Rotimi Amaechi, while five others led by Evans Bapakaye Bipi, representing Ogu/Bolo constituency are loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience. Mr. Bipi here is seen arriving the house with thugs, he later attacked the camerabcrew before breaking into the chambers to attack his colleagues. Watch the shameful video courtesy Sahara TV.