Ekiti: Soldiers threatened to shoot me, says Amaechi

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was shocked yesterday when soldiers  prevented him from attending the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Ekiti State.

His party’s candidate, Governor Kayode Fayemi, is seeking re-election in tomorrow’s poll.

Amaechi arrived at the airport in Akure, the neighbouring Ondo State capital, and headed for Ado-Ekiti, but soldiers stopped his convoy at the Ondo/Ekiti states boundary.

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, also billed for the rally, was not allowed to leave the Benin Airport. The chopper that would have taken him was prevented from flying on “orders from above”.

Amaechi, in an sms during his encounter with the soldiers wrote: “Waylaid by soldiers in Akure/Ekiti road. Threatening to shoot me, chased me to a village called Olorunsogo Ilado in Ondo State. They have allowed the Minister of State for Defence (Musiliu Obanikoro) and the Minister of Police Affairs (Jelili Adesiyan) to go through.”

In a tweet, Amaechi said: “Again, the plane that brought me to Akure has been grounded at the Akure Airport. I can’t go to Ekiti and can’t leave Akure. There is God ooo.”

The Rivers governor was stopped at Iju, a boundary town in Ondo State.

The soldiers also did not permit him to return to Akure when he told them of his intention to go back.

Amaechi returned to Lagos by road after about five hours delay at the spot as the security operatives insisted they had “orders from above” to ensure he did not enter Ekiti.

The soldiers rebuffed entreaties from some APC chieftains who pleaded with the soldiers to allow the governor into the state to attend the rally, which is within the provision of the Electoral Law.

His aircraft was grounded at the Akure Airport, following a “fresh order” barring any plane from landing and taking off from the airport.

APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC Governors’ Forum Chairman and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, were prevented from flying out of the airport after the rally. They travelled to Lagos by road.

In a statement, the Rivers State Government said it was “concerned about the safety of Governor Amaechi who is right now being held hostage commando-style by soldiers and federal government security agents in Olorunsogo Ilado, Ondo State.”Governor Amaechi, as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and as an APC governor and chieftain, left Port Harcourt this morning for Ekiti State where he was to join his brother governor in his last mega rally before the elections.

“Governor Amaechi was ambushed and refused entry into Ekiti by military personnel acting on orders from above. He made to turn back and return to Akure where his charttered aircraft was parked but was chased and surrounded by armed soldiers and security personnel in Ondo State. According to the captain, who led the operation, he had orders not to allow the governor entry or exit.

“The chattered aircraft that conveyed the governor has been grounded while the minsters of Defence, Police Affairs and Minister of State for Defence have landed at the Akure airport.

“The Rivers State government is especially worried that the Federal Government and President Jonathan have singled out Governor Amaechi for harassment and attack.

“While we hold the person and office of the President in utmost regard, we believe that it is unacceptable that the Presidency would disrespect the person and office of an elected governor of a federating unit and consistently hound him.

“The Rivers State government is all more worried as the Ondo saga is coming on the heels of a plot by six PDP lawmakers this morning to carry out a kangaroo impeachment of the duly elected governor of Rivers State, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, first at Krisdara Hotels and later Bauchi Street, Port Harcourt.

“Ordinarily, such banality should be ignored as it is neither legal nor constitutional. However, in the light of the recent attempts to hoist a Chief Judge on Rivers people through the back door and the attendant rumours that the reason for that desperate act was to make it easier for the PDP to actualise its sinister daydream of ousting Governor Amaechi before May 29, 2015, we believe that it has become necessary to draw the attention of Rivers people, Nigerians and the international community to the situation in Rivers State.”

The statement signed by Commissioner for Information Mrs Ibim Semeniteri, added:

“We appeal to all Rivers people, to all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and citizens in the state to remain calm in the face of these provocation.

“We call on the security agencies to exhibit professionalism in their conduct of affairs. We appeal to all well meaning people in Nigeria and around the world to please call the PDP to order before they truncate our democracy.

“It appears to us that the PDP clearly has no interest in the peace and stability of Rivers state.

“We are mindful of these mischievous elements but continue to call for tolerance and eternal vigilance. We are certain that the God who reigns in the affairs of Rivers people will again deliver us from this evil and terror that stalks us at noon day.”

For the second time in a year, the Federal Government, yesterday, grounded the helicopter charttered to fly Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole from Benin Airport to Ado-Ekiti.

The Governor’s helicopter was first grounded on June 7, last year, after it was recalled mid-air.

He was then  heading for Anambra State.

Commander of the 81 Air Maritime Group, Benin City, Air Commodore Soji Awomodu told the governor that he received “a call from above” that no private jet or helicopter be allowed to fly out of Benin City to either Akure or Ekiti.

The governor was left stranded at the Benin Airport for two hours before Air Commodore Awomodu delivered the message “from above”.

A source at the 81 Air Maritime Group said it was purely a military affair.

Oshiomhole expressed shock at the development but declined to speak with reporters.

The Airport Manager, Mr. Sunday Ayodele, and the Airspace Manager, Mr Ibekwe, said they had no hands in the governor’s ordeal as they had no directive to that effect.

The helicopter, with registration number 5NBQ8, later flew out of the Benin Airport at 1:20pm without its intended passengers.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Prince Kassim Afegbua, described the development as “strange”.

Officials of the the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) in

Akure, the Ondo State capital, denied that it prevented aircraft carrying leaders of the  APC from landing at the Akure Airport.

The official, who pleaded for anonymity because he had no authority to speak, said more than 10 aircraft landed and took off at the airport.