Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has appealed to the country’s military not to be involved in partisan politics.

He enjoined them to remain neutral and not take sides in the current struggle by politicians for 2015, stressing that any such involvement would have serious consequences for the country.

Amaechi, however, thanked the military for remaining neutral, asking God to bless them for their decision not to take sides in the country’s current politics.

He also called on the Nigerian police to remain neutral in the current political situation in the country.

Governor Amaechi spoke while addressing legionnaires and representatives of service chiefs in the state for the 2014 Armed Forces and Remembrance Day celebration which emblem appeal launching took place on Tuesday at the Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt.

Amaechi said, “The greatest source of unity in a country is the military and you have suffered enough to fight for the unity of this country. I will say to you the Nigerian Military, don’t be involved in Nigerian politics. Nigeria is too complicated for the military to be involved in politics.

“Nigeria, as we are here, we have so many tribes. I tell people, I’m not Ijaw, I’m Ikwerre. There are people who are from Ijaw, there are Hausas, there are Yorubas, there are Isokos, there are Fulanis. We are too many that if the military gets involved in Nigerian politics, the consequences will be too much. Currently, we thank all of you for remaining neutral and God will bless you for remaining neutral.

“In the same manner, we will enjoin Nigerian police to remain neutral because the consequences of taking sides will be too much. 2015 is a watershed for the country. All of us seated here must contribute to peace in Nigeria”.

He acknowledged the military’s contributions to unity and nation building, and urged them not to allow such contributions collapse in the current political debate.

“I will say to you today that all of you, both serving and retired, in one way or the other contributed to the unity of Nigeria, and  you cannot afford to allow that unity to go. I have a very faint idea of what the civil war looked like because I was born in 1965. My children do not have any idea whatsoever of what the civil war looked like, and I don’t want them to have any idea at all  God will not allow us to get involved in such situation where they will have ideas”, Amaechi said.

He noted that the country is too big and too blessed to fail in leadership and not sufficiently meet the people’s needs.

He also disproved claims that he is in politics to aspire to become president in the next elections, explaining that his singular aim was to work with other Nigerians to take the country where it should be.

“For me, I will join you to preach peace. You will see us fighting politically. The reason why we are fighting politically is because Nigeria is too big and too rich to remain the way we are. If anybody tells you that we are not too big and too rich, the person is lying. We are too big and too rich not to be able to provide education for our children. We are too big and too rich not to be able to provide health for our children.

“For our mothers, individuals continue from year to year to put money in their pockets. They say, I’m fighting because I want to be president, I’ve never told anybody I want to be president. I am fighting just one cause: can we change the course of Nigeria? If the Naval officers were here, they would tell you about a ship that is directionless. We can’t continue that way. I’m not saying the president is doing well or not doing well. I’m talking about the entire political class”.

Accordingly, he called on all well-meaning Nigerians to join the race for a better Nigeria, and commented on the extent of progress Nigeria’s neighbour, Ghana had made at the country’s expense.

Amaechi lamented the absence of good leadership and of security, water, power, health and other essential needs of the Nigerian people.

Governor Amaechi, at the event, was decorated by the state Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, King (Col.) Philemon Chinda Omunakwe (rtd).

Earlier, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, King Philemon Omunakwe had thanked Governor Amaechi for identifying with the legionnaires of the state.

He noted the contributions made by the military to ensure the country’s survival and unity, and appealed to government at all levels to appreciate the sacrifice of the country’s fallen heroes and take care of their loved ones.

At the 2014 Emblem Appeal launching were state legionnaires, representatives of service chiefs, including the state Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu.