Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has ruled out the possibility of having a violent revolution in the country.
Amaechi spoke in Ekiti State on Saturday at the second Nigeria Symposium for Young and Emerging Leaders.
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Prof. Pat Utomi, Chief Executive Officer of Sahara Group, Mr. Tonye Cole, and representative of Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, among others, attended the symposium, organised by The Future Project.
Amaechi said many Nigerians had become used to suffering rather than pushing for a change.
According to him, Nigeria has experienced worse situations than what led to revolution in some other countries.
Amaechi said he was sure that those who gathered to protest against the removal of oil subsidy in January 2012 would flee immediately the President drafted soldiers to the Freedom Park in Lagos and other states to quell the uprising.
He said, “Yes, revolution can happen outside Nigeria. But here, I do not think so. Tell me what happened in Sudan, Libya, Zimbabwe and other countries that have not happened here. Our elasticity has no limit. You do not pray for electricity to be regular but you know that some Nigerians pray ‘God, let the light be stable today.’ We pray without working to solve our problems and we think God will do what we are supposed to do for us.”
Noting that courage was required to make any change, he said those who were truly seeking a change would never be afraid of guns.
The governor, however, said he was not in support of the call for the disintegration of the country, saying there were many advantages in being together.
Meanwhile, Presidency on Sunday faulted the claim by Amaechi that Nigeria was gradually sliding back to the era of dictatorship.
Before reading his speech where he was honoured with the Vanguard Personality of the Year Award in Lagos on Saturday, Amaechi was said to have explained that he decided to read a prepared speech, because “I am becoming more careful, given that we are gradually going back to the era of dictatorship in this country”.
But in an interview with one of our correspondents, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, said the governor could not have been referring to the President.
Gulak said so far, the President had been ruling the country by adhering strictly to the nation’s constitution.
He said Jonathan, in the spirit of democracy, has also been consulting widely before he takes any decision and so could not be said to be a dictator.
The presidential aide said since Amaechi was one of those ruling the country by virtue of being a governor, he might be admitting by his statement that he was ruling his state like a dictator.
He said, “As a governor, Amaechi is one of those ruling this country. Is he admitting that he is a dictator in his state?
“We are in a democratic administration. We are ruling by the constitution. The President is committed to the rule of law. I am not sure the governor is referring to the President.”
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Rotimi must be a foolish man. Is it becuase people are not violence. God wil judge all of u that put common man in pain.
ReplyDeleteAmaechi was Odili's houseboy & now is GEJ's.
ReplyDeleteSo what did one expect from this idiot?
He's made enough money off the sweat of Nigerians so he can afford to be complacent.
We'll prove him wrong & he'll be among the first to fall.
That's a promise.
Ill gotten wealth make some of these ppl we think are educated very foolish and stupid. Imagine David Mark complaining that he did not celebrate his Birthday bcos of BH. Is that what is suppose to come from a man of his position knowing the pains and agony that the common Nigerians have suffered in the hands of BH? BD compared to the pains of the ordinary Nigerians. God will Judge all of you.
ReplyDeleteAnd that is why they have the guts to do what they do to the nigerians thinking they'd get away with it! God is watching...
ReplyDeleteWhat he said about Nigerians is true, however he is also a dictator and does not understand the responsibility that comes with leadership. Just like all nigerian leaders
ReplyDeleteMr, Rotimi your instigation for revolution is hereby declared null and void unless you promise Nigerians that your wife and children will not be watching us(masses) revolt on CNN from thier London apartment, i.e they will take part, your looking for people's children to kill and preserve yours abi? Come to think of it, if we revolt is it not you and your PDP that will feel the heat. You made it from PDP stop bitting the finger that fed you. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteAmachi or whatever you call yourself, you are very stupid and not sensitive to the signs of the time. Previously, nobody would have believed that Nigeria will produce suicide bombers but they are now living with us. One day, we will have freedom fighters ready to stand in front of amoured cars and fight for their rights.
ReplyDeleteGov. Amechi, are u now telling us u no longer belong to this administration? Chairman of NGF, after sharing d national cake with GEJ, u now want d people dat voted 4 u and others to go and die in d name of revolution. This is an indication dat u re a failure, a good leader must show example. How many times have stood up againt bad leadership? Pls 2015 is near d corner 4 u and ur rovolution ideas to vacate dat office. Just have it in mind dat everybody must give account of his/her stewardship, if not on earth then in d presence of God.
ReplyDeleteDon't crucify Amechi! He is 100% correct. Any country that is not ready to take the bull by the horn, should be ready to accept any situation thrown them into. One who wants to take his destiny in his does not worry about his family or luxery. The day Boko Haram, MEND, OPC,MASSOB etc focus their attention and activities on all Corrupt Politicians and Rich men and aristocrats in this country, then Nigeria will start to rise again. But like Amechi said, No Nigerian is ready to put down his life to save the country. For this the only country in the world where groups like Boko haram and MEND Kills the poor, the innocent, the un educated, the down troden. The only country where pregnant women are raped and killed by those that claimed to be crusaders! Don't blame Amechi, because he is right. But were i don't agree with him is on Nigerians parting ways! Pls, my Governor, the only thing that will save this Country, is for us to be BOLD enough to admit that the center can no long hold. People should have their own country, even if its only two states that make each country! and then practice whatever religion they want, the type of education and tradition suitable for them. This is the only thing that will save the looming disaster that is coming, which no hypocritical Nigerian don't want to believe. The sooner the better.
ReplyDeleteRotimi!!! we have seen more callous people than you...like Muammar Gaddafi, where is he today?
ReplyDeleteBeware!!! "mouth has the power of life & death"
You must be a dreamer to think Nigerians are cowards.
We need NO revolution but COME-AFTER plunderers like you who have used projects like MONO-RAIL to STEAL public funds.
Watch it!!! 2015 is just around the corner!
Rotimi, leadership is all about service!!! but i don't expect you to know that... You're forgetting so soon your background and what happened to your predecessor... "Rivers State has become so HOT for them to live"
ReplyDeleteNigerian are take their destiny in their hands... So be warmed!
Governor Amaechi is right. He knows what he is talking about. Nigerians are timid. They are afraid of death. We have revolutionists like MEND, MASSOB, OPC, BOKO HARAM who claim that they are revolutionists yet they face the poor man leaving the leaders and the corrupt politicians to go free. That is why he is against Local Govt autonomy so that the Abia State govt. has taken it upon itself to destroy Local govt system in Abia State and nobody talks. Local govt system in Abia state has become a unit of the Ministry of Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs. They have put the staff under a very suffering condition by withholding the allocation coming to the Local govts. and only pay one month salary after owing for 3 or 4 months thereby impoverishing the staff and making them not to be able to pay their children school fees and paying their house rents and other things. NULGE is swept under carpet. The leadership is afraid to act because they fear death.
ReplyDeleteHere and there, they go again. Leaders with their mouths failing open. Yeah, Nigerians r too timid and Amechi is one of them. Who was he and where was he? He is so bold and arrogant now like other Nigerian leaders. This is because of the false security money and positions give them - PH Nedum
ReplyDeleteWhy all these hullaballo about Gov Amaechi' speech. His words are axiomatic. When Biafra was declared as a response to the murder of Eastern Civilians in the North for a purely military matter, your fathers and some of you sided with the Northern butchers to declare "Keeping Nigeria one is a task that must be done". The Ibos saw today in 1914 and later in 1966 when your fathers were basking in the British conspiracy. God is not fooled, whatever a man soweth that he must reap. The Ibos will surely laugh last and, Nigeria must remain one
ReplyDelete