BREAKING NEWS, Politics
–
CHIBUIKE Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and now, Transport minister, has blamed former President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Nyesom Wike for the inability of the state to take possession of the two helicopters, which were seized by the Nigeria Customs Service and handed over to the Nigeria Air Force last week.
Amaechi was said to have initiated the importation of the helicopters while serving as the governor of the oil-rich state.
Wike said in an interview on Saturday, January 28, that the two helicopters were brought into the country by Amaechi with Rivers State money.
He alleged that the “outrageous import imposed on the two helicopters delayed their clearance” by the state government.
But Amaechi said in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, January 29, that the state government under his watch decided to import the armoured helicopters to fight criminals who he said were masquerading as militants, kidnappers and all other elements while he was the state governor.
He said he was left with no choice than to purchase the two helicopters for the use of the state in fighting crime.
In a statement by his media office, Amaechi said based on recommendation of security experts, he said his administration bought the two Bell 412 security surveillance helicopters in collaboration with the federal government through the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.
“To show their support, the federal government through the office of the NSA contributed $15million, about half of the total sum, towards the purchase of the helicopters.
“Also, the then former President Goodluck Jonathan administration granted waivers to the Rivers State government to purchase and import the helicopters,” Amaechi said.
The minister said trouble started many months later when the Jonathan administration allegedly frustrated attempts to take possession of the helicopters.
Amaechi said: “It was obvious why the President Goodluck Jonathan administration acted the way it did and Nyesom Wike, the present Governor of Rivers State was an integral part, a major player in the whole conspiracy to block and prevent Rivers State government from taking possession of the helicopters.
“Then, as a minister in President Jonathan’s cabinet, Wike inundated President Jonathan with fake stories of how then Governor Amaechi wanted to use the helicopters for Presidential campaigns against Jonathan, how Amaechi will use the helicopters to support President Jonathan’s opponents before and during the presidential elections and all sorts of concocted tales that created a false impression that the Amaechi government in Rivers State would use the helicopters against and to fight President Jonathan, and not to secure lives and property.
“Wike then, was already nursing the ambition to run for the office of Governor of Rivers State. He didn’t care about the security of lives and property.
“The helicopters were procured by the Amaechi administration to curb the wanton menace of criminals in the State (which has since worsened under Wike’s watch), but in his usual habit, Governor Wike has decided to abandon and dump the helicopters, because he does not care about the safety and security of lives and property in the State. Sad, very sad.”
But Wike, in a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, his media aide, alleged that Amaechi resorted to the purchase of helicopters because he could not provide good governance.
The statement said in part: “Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has no need for Armoured helicopters because he has provided the good people of Rivers State with good governance and they are happy with him.
“In any case, Rivers State is not at war with any country, hence there is no need for armoured helicopters.
“Governor Wike will continue to deliver good governance to the Rivers people. This has led to the improvement of security, despite the evil political machinations of Amaechi and his cohorts.”
— Jan 30, 2017 @ 14:32 GMT
|
Tags:
