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Amaechi Must Account For Sold State Assets -RSG …AS APC Crisis Escalates
The Rivers State Government says the Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi must account for the $308million (about N112billion) being proceeds of the sale of Rivers State gas turbine power stations to Sahara Energy belonging to Architect Tonye Dele Cole towards the end of his administration.
According to a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Barrister Emma Okah, in Port Harcourt, last Monday, the sale of the power stations and diversion of the proceeds to fund political activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was the reason why the Amaechi-led government abandoned so many uncompleted projects and owed salaries and pensions to workers before he left office in 2015.
According to Okah, “apart from the power assets which the former governor sold to Sahara Energy, the same company also bought the Olympia Hotel and other high value state assets under suspicious circumstances from the Governor Amaechi administration and the Justice Omereji Commission of Inquiry was asked to inquire.
“The Justice Omereji Commission of Inquiry investigated the spurious sales and indicted the Minister of Transportation, and instead of refunding the money, the minister rushed to court to set aside the findings of the commission. He lost at the High Court and at the Court of Appeal. His appeal to the Supreme Court has been abandoned because, for over a year, he has failed to file a brief of argument”, Okah said, noting that this was the reason why the minister was arm twisting his party members in the state and forcing Tonye Dele Cole on them as their anointed flag-bearer in the 2019 governorship polls.
“The reason for Tonye Dele Cole is now better explained”, Okah added, noting that it was because of need to cover the skeletons in his (Amaechi’s) cupboard.
“Instead of explaining why he took such contagious economic steps against the state, the former governor and minister of transportation is busy blackmailing the Government of Rivers State and supporting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to disobey existing court orders and harass the Government of Rivers State and her officials.
“For the avoidance of doubts, Rivers State Government is not against the fight against corruption. Our case is that there are two perpetual court injunctions restraining the commission from investigating the finances of Rivers State Government and until those injunctions are vacated by a superior court, the commission is duty bound in law to respect it irrespective of how worried the former governor may feel today”, the statement added.
According to Okah, “On 15th September, 2010, the transportation minister, then as governor of Rivers State protested the interference of the EFCC in the finances of the state at that time, and urged them to vacate the two judgements of the state High Court dated 16/02/2007 and Federal High Court dated 20/03/07, respectively. The EFCC under Mrs Farida Waziri agreed with Rivers State Government and allowed the rule of law to prevail.
“It is, therefore, very funny that the same person who told the EFCC to leave the state alone in 2010 is urging the same commission to invade the State even when the injunctions have not been vacated. The Rivers State Government assures the transportation minister that the law has not changed and the facts remain the same and so his collusion with the commission to harass Rivers State Government and her officials will not work,” Okah added.
Meanwhile, frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has said that what the state needs was politics of peace and unity, not hatred, acrimony or bitterness.
Abe, who spoke in Port Harcourt, the state capital, during an interactive session with 26 community-based organisations in Port Harcourt Constituency 2, last Monday, said politics of hatred, bitterness and acrimony is already destroying the state.
He said: “The first thing I believe that Rivers State needs is unity. I believe that the politics of hatred, bitterness, acrimony that has characterized our state in the recent past cannot take us anywhere”.
“It will destroy this state and it has started destroying the state. We need to bring people together. We need to learn how to tolerate one another; accommodate divergent views and bring out the best even in reluctant people”.
Abe, who is also the senator representing the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, declared that it was only God that could decide who would be Rivers State Governor in 2019, and not the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
“A lot of people have been telling me what my former boss, the former governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, said about me, and I said I will not respond. But I will simply go down memory lane to remind Rivers people of few things.
“First is that when I was commissioner for information under Dr. Peter Odili, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was aspiring to be governor of Rivers State and it caused a big problem in the politics of that time between him and Dr. Peter Odili. I was a commissioner in Odili’s cabinet, but I stood with Amaechi. Practically, at a time, I was the only person in Odili’s government that Amaechi was still talking to.
“I remember one day that I had a serious argument with Dr. Odili over Amaechi. We argued to a point, and I said to Dr. Odili; Sir, can I tell you something? He said, tell me. I said, whoever God has said will be governor of Rivers State will be governor of Rivers State, and there is nothing Dr. Peter Odili can do about it.
“When I went to apologise to him, he told me not to apologise. He said, Magnus, what you have said is true
“It is to the eternal credit of Dr. Peter Odili that he allowed me to serve out my term in his cabinet. He never came out publicly to call me a traitor or a betrayer because he respected the fact that I chose to stand by my friend.
“I have said the same thing to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and I want to repeat it here. Whoever God has said will be governor of Rivers State will be governor of Rivers State and there is nothing Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi can do about it,” the senator said.
Abe denied insinuations that he was being sponsored by Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to cause crisis within the APC in the state, insisting that he was only fighting for his rights.
The governorship hopeful added, “Secondly, I have heard insinuations that I am being sponsored by Nyesom Wike (incumbent governor of Rivers State) because I decided to fight for my rights, not only as a citizen of my state but as a member of my party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I remember when he also fought for his rights and he took the PDP, of which we were both members to court, up to the Supreme Court; he fought for his right and we stood by him. I did not remember that Dr. Odili came out to accuse him that he was a betrayer or being sponsored by anybody.
“He knew that he was fighting for his rights and he wanted to be governor and he respected that struggle.
“Today, I want to repeat, I am fighting for my right. I want to be the governor of Rivers State. I will fight in any way that is constitutionally allowed, and whatever God says at the end, I will accept in good faith.
“So, I will continue to refer to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the leader of our party in Rivers State. He is the only member of the party that is a former Governor and a member of the caucus of our party. I refer to him as leader to send signals to all our members no matter how aggrieved they may be that we should be ready to work with him any time he decides that it is appropriate to allow justice to prevail,” Abe added.
Meanwhile, the former governor of Rivers State, and the current Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuieke Rotime Amaechi has debunked the statement credited to Senator Magnus Abe, that he was the leader of his party in the state.
It would be recalled that Abe had asserted that “Amaechi still remains the leader of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State”.
Amaechi dismissed the claim, last Monday, during the APC rally at Rumeme Civic Centre in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
‘I am not Magnus Abe’s leader. Those I helped to climb politically are now working against me. They claimed that the president had endorsed them; let me tell you, the president will only campaign for those the party has chosen.
“No Rivers man is as close as I am to the president‘’ he boasted, saying “let me make this known to you that Magnus Abe is not working for APC, he is working for Governor Wike and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State”.
“Everyone has the right as a citizen to vie for any position so far he is qualified”, Amaechi said.
The division started when the Ogoni born senator declared to contest as the Governor of the state.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana & Emeka Sabastine Igbe
Against the backdrop of rising economic challenges and global uncertainties, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, has called for calm, unity, and responsible leadership as Christians across the country mark Palm Sunday, yesterday.
In a statement released yesterday, Okoh reflected on the significance of Palm Sunday, saying that it is a moment that symbolises peace, humility, and hope, even in times of tension and uncertainty.
He further explained that Jesus entered Jerusalem with calm resolve, not as a display of force, but with a message of peace and purpose.
The CAN President noted, “The message of the Christian observance is particularly relevant as many Nigerians grapple with economic hardship, including rising cost of living, increasing fuel prices, and escalating food costs.”
He attributed part of the economic pressure to global developments, especially geopolitical tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States that are already impacting energy markets and, by extension, everyday life in Nigeria.
He stressed that across the country, families are feeling the weight of these times, with transport costs rising, food prices climbing, and daily life becoming more difficult.
He stated that Nigerians are primarily concerned with survival and stability, appealing to leaders at all levels to be mindful of the tone and impact of their words and actions.
According to him, when life feels uncertain, people need reassurance, they need stability and the confidence that those in authority understand their struggles. He stressed that the lessons of Palm Sunday should guide leadership, as true leadership is defined not by force or rhetoric, but by empathy, restraint, and a commitment to the common good.
He stressed that it is a time for decisions that ease burdens, calm anxieties, and bring people together, and called on the Church and Nigerians of all faiths to embrace their responsibility in promoting peace and unity.
He said Palm Sunday serves as a reminder of a time when people from diverse backgrounds came together in shared hope and purpose, pointing out that the same spirit is needed now to stand for peace, strengthen unity, and support one another, especially in a season that could easily tilt towards tension.
Okoh encouraged young Nigerians and those most affected by the current economic realities not to lose hope, acknowledging that while the challenges are real, they are not insurmountable.
The Acting Provost of the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology, Dr. (Mrs.) Peace Chigozirim Amadi has refuted claims circulating in the media suggesting that laboratory equipment went missing from the college.
In a recent statement, Dr. Amadi described the reports—particularly those attributed to certain publications—as false and misleading. She emphasized that all laboratory equipment at the college remain intact.
“I am here to set the record straight. No laboratory equipment disappeared from my college. Nothing is missing,” Dr. Amadi said, challenging anyone with contrary claims to provide evidence, including the names of the equipment and their supposed locations.
She further noted that the college recently underwent an accreditation exercise, during which significant investments were made in laboratory equipment. According to Dr. Amadi, these items are fully accounted for, and the college maintains a robust security system to protect its assets.
“Everything is intact. Nothing disappeared. The information being circulated is false and should be discarded,” she reiterated.
Beyond addressing the allegations, Dr. Amadi also called on media practitioners to exercise professionalism and verify stories before publication. “I want to plead with journalists to always verify their stories. Junk journalism does not help anyone. No matter the information you receive, it is important to hear the other side before publishing,” she said.
While social media posts have occasionally raised concerns about various issues in the region’s health education sector, including extortion and examination malpractice at related institutions, there is no independent evidence from credible news sources confirming that equipment went missing from Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology.
The college, a public tertiary institution based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is accredited to offer a variety of health-related programs, including Nursing, Midwifery, Laboratory Technology, and Environmental Health. It has consistently emphasised integrity, safety, and transparency in its operations.
Dr. Amadi’s statement seeks to reassure the public, students, and stakeholders that the college remains secure, well-managed, and free from the alleged equipment losses, while urging journalists to prioritise accuracy in reporting.
The Chairman of the Arewa Traditional Council of Chiefs in Rivers State, Alhaji Hussaini Isa Madaki, has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State for his efforts in sustaining peace and security of lives and property across the state.
Madaki, who is also the Sarkin Hausawa in Rivers State, described the governor as a leader who has embraced the Hausa community as part of the larger family in the state.
Speaking with journalists at his office in Port Harcourt during the 2026 Eid al-Fitr celebration, Madaki noted that Governor Fubara has demonstrated fairness and inclusiveness by not segregating any ethnic group, particularly the Hausa community.
He added that the governor’s peaceful disposition has positioned Rivers State as one of the most accommodating and peaceful states in the country.
Madaki further assured that the Hausa community would continue to give maximum support to the Fubara-led administration until the end of its tenure.
He also urged members of the community to remain peaceful and law-abiding as they go about their lawful activities.
On community development, Madaki disclosed that district and ward heads have been appointed and crowned across Hausa settlements in the State to ensure proper coordination and profiling of residents. According to him, the initiative is aimed at strengthening security, enhancing identification, and improving crisis management at the grassroots level.
He explained that the move became necessary due to recurring security concerns, including disturbances allegedly caused by some scavengers and cart pushers.
Madaki called on the newly appointed leaders to promote inclusiveness, harmony, and peaceful coexistence in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Those appointed include Alhaji Abubakar as Port Harcourt City District Head; Alhaji Buba Usman (Eleme axis); Malam Adamu (Eagle Island); Alhaji Tanlasuki (Gborokiri Yam Zone); Abdullahi (Rumukwurushi); Adamu Suleiman (Aboloma); and Useni Umaru (D-Line).
He appealed to Governor Fubara to formally recognise the efforts of the Hausa leadership structure in the State and extend further support in the spirit of inclusivity and unity.
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