Amaechi: FG, PDP undermining peace in Rivers

GOVERNOR Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has again accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Federal Government of undermining peace and order in his state.

Amaechi said that they do this by encouraging the  return of militants and insitigating police against his administration.

The governor also claimed that the Federal Government has actively encouraged the destabilisation of the security in the state through tacit encouragement of the return of militants onto the streets of Port Harcourt and by encouraging the police to play a partisan role in the political affairs of the state.

Amaechi, in a state wide broadcast on New Year day, said  that while he came into office on the platform of the PDP and that the state gave President Goodluck Jonathan the highest number of votes in 2011, the party did not reciprocate the state's commitment and devotion.

He said instead, the party has been used to undermine Rivers State, stressing that when in a multiparty set up, a political party fails to protect the interests of any section of its membership, it automatically loses the right to command the followership of that section.

'Those who feel irreparably injured reserve the right to freely switch their loyalty to alternative platforms. The right to change one's political alignment and allegiance remains one of the fundamental liberties that democracy grants a free people. This is the underlying principle behind our movement to the more progressive APC. We believe that the APC offers a more robust platform for the realisation of the dream of our people for quick even development. In the months ahead, we shall take the message of development under the banner of the APC to our people,' he said.

Amaechi reiterated that there is no personal quarrel between him and  President Jonathan but that Rivers State government  has some misgivings against certain actions of the Federal Government towards  the state.  He accused the Federal Government of refusing to refund the state the money expended on federal roads, ceding of Rivers State oil and gas wells to neighbouring states.

'Major industrial and strategic security projects that were originally slated for location in Rivers State have been moved to neighbouring states without even the courtesy of an explanation… there is evidence of discrimination against Rivers State indigenes in key federal appointments. Of all the councils and boards of federal universities and tertiary institutions recently announced, there is hardly any Rivers indigene considered fit to head any of them,' he said.

According to the governor,  while efforts to reach a peaceful resolution of the state's differences on these issues have not quite yielded results, the state doors remain open to a negotiated settlement of these issues within the context of the constitutional relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government.

He  said he remains committed to the completion of most of the projects he stated in 2007.  He explained that the state has a comprehensive funding and execution schedule for each of its projects.  Though some delays in project implementation have been occasioned by shortfalls in expected receipts from the federation account.