CONFUSION IN AMAECHI'S POLITICAL KINGDOM AS HE FALLS OUT WITH ABE

The APC River State is in disarray as the former Rivers governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi's relationship with his man Friday, Senator Magnus Abe has fallen apart. Though, after realizing his blunder, Amaechi through Chief Andrew Uchendu came out to twist the truth, but the fact is that the milk has already split. 

The problem is all about who will be the APC River State gubernatorial candidate come 2019, as Amaechi has vowed to do all within his power to stop Gov. Wike by all means and control Rivers as the political godfather. This is in spite of the fact that Rivers people love Gov. Wike because of his good performances so far. 

Amaechi's quarrel with Sen. Magnus Abe seems to have given credibility to what Gov. Wike said in an interview with Sun Newspaper few weeks back, where, calling Abba Moro the former Minister of Internal Affairs as a witness, he narrated how Amaechi was not happy when he was made a minister. He went to government House in Port Harcourt to inform his then oga, but Amaechi refused to come downstairs and receive him.

It is believed in some circles that Amaechi is not happy because he want Sen. Abe to forget his gubernatorial ambition in 2019, as he felt that Sen. Abe as a governor will be too independent minded for him to control. This is against his desire to be the overall lord of Rivers politics and dominate it the way Tinubu dominated South-West politics.

This was why he called a meeting of all the Ikwere political leaders and started calling his man Friday, Sen. Abe a traitor and all sorts of unprintable names. This was in a meeting attended by over 150 politicians and was hosted by Chief Andrew Uchendu.

Perhaps, they intended for it to be an in-house affairs, but it was leaked to the press by some of those in attendance who does not want their names to be mentioned.

It was the embarrassment that followed the publication of the meeting by Sun Newspaper on Monday, 24th April, that forced Amaechi to mandate Chief Andrew Uchendu to make a press release that he Amaechi didn't attend the meeting. How Chief Uchendu, a 69 years old man, going to 70 will step out to deny that Amaechi never attended a meeting, where over 150 people were eye witness, will tell you exactly the character of some of our politicians who are glamouring to rule us.

The truth from our own independent investigation is that Contrary to the claim by the Chairman, Ikwerre National Forum (INF), Chief Andrew Uchendu that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was not at the meeting, where he declared war on his long time political ally, and senator from the state, Magnus Abe, vowing to frustrate the former’s gubernatorial ambition, we gathered from a source that was in attendance that the Transport minister was at the meeting, as reported by Daily Sun on Monday.

At the meeting Amaechi held with APC leaders from the four local government areas in Ikwerre area of the state on Saturday, 22nd April, 2017 at the Port Harcourt residence of Chief Uchendu, where party leaders from Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt City, Emohua and Ikwerre local government areas attended, Amaechi accused Abe, of being a traitor, and vowed to use everything at his disposal to stop Senator Abe.

His reason according to sources was that the Senator had aligned with all the people he earlier introduced him to in Abuja to now work against his desire to install an APC governor of his choice in Rivers, and for this, he Amaechi wasn’t going to support him to vie for the governorship election in 2019.

However, in statement, Chief Uchendu said that the Minister of Transport could not attend the meeting recently convened by him, and as such couldn't have made any derogatory comment about Senator Abe, the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, as is being peddled by some mischief makers, noting that, “those who were in attendance will also testify to the fact that we never discussed anything about Senator Abe".

According to him, "Ikwerre National Forum (INF), has been in existence since 2000 and I have been the chairman till date. This body primarily functions as the political think-tank of the Ikwerre people in the Rotimi Amaechi political family, and Rotimi Amaechi has remained the leader of the group. 

“The present governor of Rivers State, Chief Barrister Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, Hon. Austin Okpara (former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives), Chief Emeka Woke (Current Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House), and many other notable Ikwerre politicians, are all products of this formidable political group. 

“Since 2000 till date, I have always convened meetings of this body and our agenda has always been to promote the political interests of the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality”.

That Chief Uchendu stepped out to deny the presence of Amaechi in the said meeting says a lot about his character.

It will be recalled that Amaechi had earlier on called a meeting of Ogoni political leaders in APC to try to convince them to advise their son not to run in 2019, but he was bowed by the people as the Ogonis insisted that they will stand by their son on whichever way he decides to go in 2019, reminding him that, in the spirit of equity, 2015 was supposed to be their turn. 

All attempt to hear from Sen. Abe proved abortive as he refused to pick his calls. When we forward an SMS to enquire what his problem with Amaechi is, he didn't reply. 

But, the truth is that Amaechi's political kingdom in Rivers is on fire. The centre can no longer hold. Sen. Magnus Abe being the only APC senator in Rivers, Amaechi's political kingdom will crumble if he loses Abe's support. 

Gov. Wike must be laughing loud now at them.