By Sunday Elijah
A youth-based organisation, Rivers Renaissance, in Port Harcourt, south-south Nigeria, says Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is still indebted to Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi for his achievements in politics.
The group stated this while reacting to a statement credited to Gov Wike, where he said, Amaechi had frustrated his ministerial nomination during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
A statement by President General of the group, Dr. Dokubo Dan-Tamuno, said there was no iota of veracity in the Governor’s claim, saying rather than struggle to demonise the Minister, Gov. Wike should express gratefulness.
Wike while addressing the first convocation of Pamo medical University on Saturday, re-echoed that Amaechi frustrated his nomination as Minister under President Jonathan.
“Amaechi supported your second term bid as chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Council even in the face of opposition from the Obio-Akpor people. He supported your emergence as Deputy and later President of ALGON; made you his Chief of Staff (CoS) in defiance to your preference for Commissioner for Finance.
“He also nominated you for appointment as Minister. Even when Security agencies wrote negative report about you on grounds of financial malfeasance and patronage of cult groups among other sundry issues, he took it personal and ensured you were cleared. How do you speak ill of such a man with so much ingratitude?
“Your success story and climb on life’s perilous ladder can never be complete without Amaechi and if he (Amaechi) wanted to replace your nomination he could have easily done it especially with the initial reluctance by former President Jonathan in accepting your nomination.
“Rather than withdraw your nomination Amaechi stoically insisted that your nomination should be accepted at the risk of unsettling the former President. Remember that the former President initially questioned your nomination on the grounds that he did not know you.” the statement said.
The President General of Rivers Renaissance said Gov. Wike rather than use the opportunity of the event to market his government policy thrust and direction for the education sector in the State, he preferred to chase vainglory.
“Rather than use the convocation to tell the world about sustainable development initiatives for the education sector in the State (if there was any), he ended up de-marketing his own government. What a wasted opportunity,” Dr. Dan-Tamuno added.
