We steal because Nigerians don’t stone us — Governor Amaechi
The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi
Amaechi, on Saturday said political office holders steal state funds
because Nigerians do not stone them.
Amaechi, who said this in Lagos at an
event organised to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela, challenged Nigerians
to hold their leaders accountable.
He said, “If you see a thief and you
allow him to be stealing, what have you done? You have stoned nobody;
that is why we are stealing. Who have you stoned? They came out and
started dancing oil subsidy, oil subsidy. They told you that they stole
N2.3trn, what did you do?
“Instead you are protesting ‘bring more
oil subsidy’; the oil subsidy that is not reaching the poor. A few
individuals are going away with the money and you have done nothing. You
are mourning Madiba, who lived up to 95, and he was very angry with
Nigeria when he died.
“You’ve heard that $50bn is missing and
you have done nothing about it. In some countries people will go on the
street until they return that money. It is N8trn, it can change Nigeria.
“Me I want to steal only $1bn, let them
bring it. You read Obasanjo’s letter and you are asking why is he
writing the letter, is he a South-South man? In fact, when he was there
what did he do? You, what have you done? If you don’t take your destiny
in your hands, we will go and other leaders will come and continue
stealing.”
Meanwhile, as the crisis rocking Rivers
State deepens, the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike,
has described Governor, Amaechi, as the worst tyrant he (Wike) has ever
known.
Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt
on Saturday, the minister, who decried the declaration of a one-week
holiday by the state government, said it was wrong for anybody to
suggest that 25 out of 32 state lawmakers were on the side of the
governor.
“Nigeria will do well if we stand by the
truth. Amaechi is a tyrant and he can be likened to Adolf Hitler.
Amaechi is the worst tyrant I have ever known. If you do not know, know
it now. I worked there (in Government House, Port Harcourt as Chief of
Staff).”
Dismissing suggestions that he betrayed
Amaechi, the minister described as false the claim that the governor
influenced his (Wike) emergence as the Obio/Akpor Council chairman for a
second term.
But in his reaction, the Chief of Staff,
Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha described Wike’s
description of Amaechi as a tyrant as laughable, saying the governor
gave the minister a free hand to operate when he (Wike) was the
Government House Chief of Staff.
“It is laughable; It is a direct
opposite of what he (Wike) meant to say. He knows that the governor is
not a tyrant. The governor gave him a free hand and he misused it.
“In Amaechi’s administration, Wike has
benefitted the most. Wike lost favour of Obio/Akor people after his
first tenure as council chairman. He had no hope of a rerun because the
people decided not to support him.
“Amaechi influenced his emergence as
chairman of Obio/Akpor for second tenure. He has no respect for
constituted authority. Wike has a long history of betrayal.
“It runs in his blood. I am advising him
to look back and see how many people are falling by the wayside because
of his mischief,” Okocha added.
Meanwhile, the leader of six
anti-Governor Rotimi Amaechi lawmakers, Mr. Evans Bipi, has said the
governor will only be impeached if he fails to recognise him as Speaker.
Bipi, who had insisted that he remained
the Speaker of the Assembly, stated that he would not remove Amaechi
from office if the condition is met.
“I have no intention to impeach him so
long as he recognises me as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of
Assembly. I have always maintained that I am the authentic Speaker of
the State Assembly,” Bipi, who represents Ogu/Bolo State Constituency,
told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday.
The House has been in crisis since an
attempt was made on July 9, 2013, to impeach the Speaker of the House,
Mr. Otelemaba Amachree.
