Wike lacks capacity to govern Rivers state - Amaechi

Former Rivers State governor and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has accused his successor, governor Nyesom  Wike of lacking the political will and capacity to govern Rivers State.

Amaechi stated this on Sunday at an APC rally in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, ahead of the state and national assembly elections on Saturday.

I don't want to go to jail so I wouldn't steal - Rotimi Amaechi says

New Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi says he does not want to go to jail and so will not be stealing from the accounts of the ministry. Amaechi said this while speaking to members of the ministry after his swearing-in as Minister yesterday November 11th.

“I am not as bad as people from the outside say I am. I only engage based on principles. I neither take nor give bribes. If you want to relate with me, don’t give me money. I will also not give you money. I don’t want to go to jail so I won’t steal. But I won’t spare thieves,” he said

Amaechi, Fashola, other ministers get portfolios today

 All is now set for President Muhammadu Buhari to administer oaths of office on his 36 ministers whose appointments were recently confirmed by the Senate.

 The President is also expected to announce the ministries where the ministers will serve during the inauguration billed to commence at 10am at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday (today).

 Our correspondent learnt on Tuesday that after the recitation of their citations, the ministers will take their oath of offices in batches before the President.

 They will thereafter sign the register which will be counter-signed by the President.

 Immediately after the ceremony that will be open, the first meeting of the Federal Executive Council will hold behind closed-doors.

If Amaechi is found guilty of corruption, he will seize to be a minister— Sen. Sani

Senator Shehu Sani has said that despite the confirmation of former Rotimi Amaechi as a minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, if any court of law finds him guilty of corruption, he will not continue to serve as a Minister in the Buhari led government. Sani said this while paying a get-well-soon visit to a veteran journalist and columnist, Abdulkareem Albashir today.

He said that the senate couldn't have stopped Amaechi's ministerial confirmation because all the petitions brought against him were mere allegations because no court had found him guilty of corruption.

Guber Tribunal Judgement: We’ve been vindicated - Rivers APC

….Urges security agents not to allow Wike escape

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has welcomed the judgement of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which on Saturday, October 24, 2015 afternoon in Abuja annulled the declaration of Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship poll in the State.

“We have been vindicated in our persistent claim that the election in Rivers State was a sham and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) erred in declaring Wike governor. We repeat that there is no way under the heavens that Chief Wike can beat our candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, in a free and fair election,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya immediately after the Tribunal judgement.

Ministerial Nomination Impasse: My story, by Amaechi

All eyes were on the Senate as the upper chambre screened 37 ministerial nominees sent to it for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari over the last two weeks. But none of the nominees proved as controversial as Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, whose screening had to be deferred at least once owing to the deluge of petitions against his nomination, and for which he had to face the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee.

Finally, Amaechi was screened in plenary by the Senate on Thursday. The former governor tells his story in the course of the exercise. Excerpts: BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

WHO IS CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI? 

I happen to be one of the best Nigerians to have served as Speaker for eight years.   In the period   I served, Speakers were impeached almost on regular basis. I have also served as a governor   of Rivers State under the PDP, but during my second term, I was  governor   of Rivers State under APC. Distinguished senators, it is a rare privilege  to stand here today to address  you.  I believe that this   is my first time of  addressing the Senate and I thank you. I thank   the President for this privilege. Whether I become   a minister or I not, this will go in the history book of mine that I once addressed   the Senate   of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but   truly   at the mercy of the Senate.

And as you know, this is a hallowed  chamber, so I am deeply humbled and honoured that I have been   nominated   by the President and to have been give the chance to address you on what I thought    would   be the little   contributions    I have made to the development of Nigeria. I told you earlier that my name is Chibuike Amaechi, I am truly a Nigerian.

Tribunal judgment: I will complete my tenure – Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, sounded confident yesterday when he assured his supporters that he would complete his four years tenure as governor of the state, in spite of the tribunal ruling which nullified his election on Saturday.

Wike stated this at a thanksgiving service held at Obi Wali International Convention Centre, Port Harcourt, where the leadership and supporters of Peoples Democratic (PDP) gathered to honour God over the tribunal judgment delivered by Justice Suleiman Ambrosa.

Wike, who was received with jubilation by party supporters, as he mounted the rostrum, encouraged his supporters that their mandate would be regained.

“We will win and I will complete my four years tenure as the governor of Rivers State. The thanksgiving service today is very significant because, if what enemies planned had work, I wouldn’t have been governor today.

Ministerial Screening: Rivers APC woos senate

 The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend made a strong case for the immediate past governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to be among the few who should be given special consideration by the Senate during the screening of ministerial nominees.

 The party in a statement issued on Sunday in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, commended the Senate for decision to be thorough in the forthcoming screening exercise but appealed to it not to totally discard the tradition of asking deserving ones to take a bow and go.

 “We wish to respectfully appeal to the Distinguished Senate to put Rt. Hon. Amaechi on the list of nominees to be honoured with the ‘bow and go’ tradition because he is a distinguished former lawmaker and, indeed, the only Nigerian who apart from being the Speaker of a State House of Assembly for eight years from 1999 to 2007, but also meritoriously served as Chairman of the Nigerian Speakers Forum, thereby greatly contributing to the legislative evolution of Nigeria,” Rivers APC said.

We have received more petitions against Anmaechi's ministerial nomination - Dino

Spokesperson of the senate, Dino Melaye, says the senate has received more petitions against Rotimi Amaechi's ministerial nomination asides the petition from Senators from Rivers state which was presented to the senate by Senator George Sekibo yesterday October 7th.

"The petitions from the senators from Rivers state is not the only one that we have received. We will continue to receive petitions after the screening exercise"he said 

Drama in Senate over petition against Amaechi

 Mild drama ensued on the floor of the Senate yesterday when a petition against the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, was to be tabled on behalf of a group from the state by Senator George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East).

 Sekibo had, in line with Senate tradition, raised order 41 of the Senate standing rules to make presentation of a petition from some of his constituents.

 But the moment he mentioned that the petition written by a group called ‘The Integrity Group from Rivers State’ was against Rotimi Ameachi, one of the ministerial nominees to be screened by the Senate next Tuesday, the APC senators spontaneously shouted him down, saying, ‘No!’, ‘No!’, ‘Dead on arrival!’ etc, with their PDP counterparts, firing back by shouting, ‘Allow him!,’ ‘allow him!’

Gov. Fashola, Amaechi, Akpabio, Kwankwaso Under Probe by ICPC

 The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has set up a task force to probe eight former governors in the country over alleged mismanagement of public funds.

 “It is true that we are going after eight former governors. The investigation against four of the former governors of Rivers, Katsina, Kano and Enugu has commenced.

 “However, the commission has listed four other former governors who are on the waiting list because of petitions against them. They are the immediate past governors of Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Jigawa States.

 “A Special Task Force was set up by the Chairman of the commission to coordinate the investigation in the states. So we are reopening the petitions through the Chairman of the Special Task Force.”

 A top operative of the commission, who confided in Punch, said that the task force was set up following petitions written against the former governors.

Appointment: Rivers APC Alleges Gang-Up against Amaechi

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged a gang-up against former Governor Chibuike Amaechi by some powerful forces in the State desperate to ensure that he does not get appointed into the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. 

“These retrogressive forces led by the State Caretaker Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, are so afraid of the shadow of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi that they are willing to go to any length to ensure that he is not accommodated in President Buhari’s cabinet. They have for months mounted a relentless campaign of calumny against the person of Amaechi, thus biting the finger that once fed them. This is not only shameful but also a clear sabotaging of the greater interests of Rivers State,” the State APC Chapter said in a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya. 

Rivers APC dismisses corruption allegations against Amaechi

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the corruption allegations against immediate past Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, with a wave of the hand. 

The party in a statement issued Sunday morning in Port Harcourt by its State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said that the latest allegation by the wailing Care-taker Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike camp that Amaechi has foreign bank accounts lacks substance. 

PDP urges Buhari to probe Tinubu, Amaechi

The PDP has called on President Buhari to order a probe on the tenure of some APC government officials, particularly those of Bola Tinubu and Rotimi Amaechi. While speaking at a meeting with some PDP Senators at the party's national secretariat in Abuja yesterday August 6th, the acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, said the EFCC has arrested more of PDP government officials in recent times and wondered why APC governors are in anyway clean of corruption.

"Mr President should intervene, that so far, statistics shows clearly that the EFCC have only arrested members of our party, those who have served in government before. But there are APC governors, members of the APC who have served in various governments, they have been left alone. We believe that a government serious on anti-corruption crusade, it cannot be one-sided, it cannot be selective; it should be holistic. Therefore, let’s use this medium to ask that members of the APC who were governors before, are they clean? Are they giving them clean bill of health?” he said

Jonathan raised fuel subsidy from N300bn to N1.9trn – Amaechi

Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of increasing the country’s subsidy claim from N300 billion to N1.9trillion all by himself during his administration.

He said:  

“The fuel subsidy was N300 billion under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and it remained the same under late President  Yar’Adua. Within 6 months under President Jonathan, the fuel subsidy rose from N300 billion to N1.9 trillion. Yet, Jonathan wanted more money for fuel subsidy.

“Is it that the country now doubled its population or bought more machines or started manufacturing? As chairman of Governors Forum, I was in a position  to get my share of the N1.9 trillion but I chose the part of honesty and truth, you cannot catch me being dishonest.

“There was a time I walked into a meeting with the president (Goodluck Jonathan)  and at the meeting, the argument was that they wanted more money for oil subsidy. As the chairman of Governors Forum, I stood my ground and told the president I was not going to support that.

Buhari, Tinubu, Amaechi Break Ramadan Fast Together Yesterday Evening

President Buhari break his Ramadan fast yesterday evening in the Presidential villa alongside the National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi with much joy and laughter.

More pictures below...

Governor, Wike Sets Up Committee To Probe Amaechi

Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday started probe of the administration of his predecessor, Chibuike Amaechi as he constituted a seven man Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omereji to investigate alleged sale of some state assets as well as the projects for which funds were allegedly released but not executed.

The panel was inaugurated Friday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Mr. Wike, a former member of the Amaechi administration who later fell out with his boss, has accused Amaechi and others of stealing properties belonging to the government.

He has vowed to recover them.

Rivers State Government recovers Government vehicle illegally acquired by Spokesperson for Amaechi’s administration

In furtherance of efforts by the Rivers State Government to recover government property from officials of the immediate past administration in the state, security agents and government house officials on Thursday took possession of government vehicle from the home of the former spokesperson for the Amaechi administration, Mrs Ibim Semenitari.

The security operatives carried out the operation at the home of Mrs Semenitari located at Ernest Ikoli Street, Old GRA Port Harcourt.

More Pictures After The Cut...

National Assembly Crisis: APC Underrated G-5 Governors – Kwankwaso

A former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said that the crisis in the National Assembly was caused by a miscalculation by the All Progressives Congress leadership.

 According to him, the leadership of the party probably underrated the G-5 governors in deciding on those that should vie for top positions in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

 The miscalculation, he said, played out on the floor of the National Assembly during the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as their deputies.

At Last: Buhari’s Ministerial List Updated: Fifteen Set To Be Appointed

At Last: Buhari’s Ministerial List Updated: Fifteen Buhari’s Loyalists Set To Be Appointed Into His Cabinet Emerge?

As Babatunde Fashola, Oby Ezekwesili Still Top List

By Angela Devis

As a new government takes over, one which has the fist to arrest corruption and penalized all those who have looted public funds over the years, it becomes imminent for…. Nigeria’s president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), has disclosed that his cabinet would be…..