The intractable supremacy battle over the Rivers State polity between the Director General of Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation and former Governor of rivers Sate, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike, is getting fierce and messy as the preparations for the 2019 general elections gather steam.
Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, has apparently dragged Wike to the dirty pool of personality clash, painting the governor black before the people of segment of Rivers State, accusing the incumbent of political fraud.
Amaechi at a grand reception organized in his honor by the Chiefs and people of Ishimbam
General Assembly (IGA) in conjunction with the Free Rivers Development Initiative (FRDI) at the Freedom Square, Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, claimed that his successor, Wike, is commissioning some projects already completed by him during his administration.
The minister, then said, that Wike was taking credits for his administration’s achievements because he (Amaechi) did not place priority in commissioning projects during his time.
Amaechi had remarked: “Wike commissioned a project that I completed. He called the Speaker of the House of Representatives to commission a flyover I already completed …
Tell him (Wike) that he should go ahead and keep commissioning, I have no problem with that. When I was Governor, I provided development for Ikwerre people just like I did for other tribes in the State.”
National Daily gathered that Amaechi also accused Wike of weak stewardship on infrastructure and human capital development in Ikwerre land since he became Governor in 2015, noting his achievements on human capital development before departing office.
“Let Wike tell us what he has done in Ikwerre land. For me, if I have done nothing I have brought up one of your sons right from INEC and RISONPALM. But aside the human capital development, you also know that in Elele you have roads everywhere. I have given Elele Primary Schools, health centers and roads. My mother is from Egbeda, I’m sure Egbeda people will agree that I did the road from Egbeda to Omerelu.
“As Governor, I did a road from Omerelu to Apani, I did another road from Ubima to Omerelu. I hear you’ve had no electricity for nine months. I will talk to the minister of power to fix it. You people should get the evaluation and bring it to my office for verification and necessary action.
“Please you people should ask Governor Wike what he has done for you. Wike’s four years is gradually coming to an end. He has only from now till May, 2019. We’ll compare him to my first four years,” Amaechi had declared.
He also told his people how he started attracting projects to his Ikwerre people when he was Speaker of the State House of Assembly. He acquainted them how he was at the verge of transforming Elele into a city before he vacated office in 2015.
In a seeming post-regime accountability, Amaechi highlighted: “In Elele, you have network of roads all over which were awarded during my administration and I nearly transformed Elele into another city to such an end that anybody can live and go to work from Elele.
Please beg your Governor to give you water. But for me, I have given Elele Health Centers, Roads, and also connected Elele to Omagwa.”
Amaechi thereafter solicited new political covenant with the people towards 2019, reeling out more promises.
The former governor, accordingly, promised to revive the rice mill in Elele Alimini if the Ishimbam local farmers in the area could come together to form a cooperative to start the rice farm owned by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
“The rice mill at Elele Alimini, ask NDDC, I brought it to that place. Go to NDDC and ask.
But, if all farmers can come together and form a cooperative to start the rice farm I am ready to appeal to NDDC to come and hand over to you, so that you can have the rice farm,” Amaechi declared.
The Buhari presidential campaign director rounded the event with resolve to confront Wike project for project, mobilising federal resources to please the people.
The Ishimba Communities which comprises, Elele-Alimini, Omerelu, Egbeda, Umudioga, Akpabu, Itu, Apani, Ubimini and Elele communities of Ikwerre LGA, honoured and decorated Amaechi with a Chieftaincy title of the ‘Ohna Ishimba 1 of Ikwerre Land’.