The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi,
has said that contrary to President Goodluck
Jonathan’s claim, the President is not interested
in a free and fair election.
Amaechi, who was reacting to soldiers’
occupation of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium
ahead of the Jonathan’s political campaign in
the state on Wednesday, said the action of the
President was an indication that he (Jonathan)
was opposed to democratic norms.
The governor, who spoke in Government House
in Port Harcourt on Sunday, explained that it
was wrong for President Jonathan to order
soldiers to take over the state-owned stadium,
even when approval was not given by the state
government.
He argued that a President should have
respected the position of the state government
in an ideal federation, particularly after telling
the Peoples Democratic Party to use the
Liberation Stadium.
Amaechi said, “Why is the President insisting on
using the Adokiye Amiesamaka Stadium after we
have told the PDP that work is currently going
on there? It is unfortunate that the President is
preaching one thing and doing another thing.
“If the President is truly interested in the
conduct of a free and fair election, why did he
order armed soldiers to forcefully take over a
state government-owned facility when it was
not given to him or the PDP?
“Why should a President elected in a democratic
election, serving under a democratic
dispensation order soldiers to take over a state-
owned stadium? In an ideal federation, the
President is supposed to respect our position,
essentially after we asked them to use the
Liberation Stadium at Elekahia, in Port Harcourt
City.”
In a related development, the state PDP
Chairman, Mr. Felix Obuah, confirmed the party’s
readiness to use the Adokiye Amiesamaka
Stadium on Wednesday.
Obuah said in a statement signed by his Special
Adviser, Media, Mr. Jerry Needam, that the
reason given by Amaechi on why he refused the
party’s request to use the stadium was
unacceptable.
The state PDP chairman argued that the
stadium was built with state funds, maintaining
that the facility was only conceptualised when
Amaechi was a member of the PDP.
He, however, challenged the governor to name
any capital project that he implemented since he
defected to the APC in November 2013.
Obuah told members and supporters of the PDP
to turn out in their large number to welcome the
presidential campaign train in continuation of
President Jonathan’s bid to earn a second term.
Source: PunchNg
