•Says Port Harcourt no longer attractive
•Holds meeting with anti-Amaechi lawmakers
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, yesterday took a swipe at Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State when she said Port Harcourt, the state capital, has lost its attraction during the governor’s reign.
Dame Jonathan who was in the city to attend the wedding of one of the five anti-Amaechi legislators in the State House of Assembly prayed for the return of the lost glory.
“During the time of Chief Rufus Ada-George and Dr. Peter Odili as governors, everybody wanted to come to Port Harcourt, which was called the Garden City, but I pray that it will return to what it used to be, so that we and our children can be proud of Port Harcourt,” she said at the wedding reception.
The governor who was scheduled to be the guest of honour was absent at the wedding-of Mr. Evans Bipi and former Miss Rhoda Sika- although he was represented at the church by his deputy, Tele Ikuru .
Ikuru did not attend the reception having left for another function in his home town.
However, scores of prominent politicians from the state including ex-Governors Ada-George and Odili were there, as were national and state legislators with the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, playing the chief host.
The First Lady was full of praise for Wike for bringing together such an array of prominent citizens.
She said: “I grew up in Rivers State, but I have never seen a gathering of the movers and shakers of this state like this. When I say I love Wike, people do not understand. If not for him, I would not have this opportunity to be here.
“It is good to be good. Both Rivers and Bayelsa are one, because Bayelsa State was created out of the old Rivers State (on October 1, 1996) and nobody can separate the two states, but the people must come together in peace and speak with one voice. Wike has brought us together.”
Wike is currently locked in a bitter struggle with Amaechi for the soul of the PDP in the state.
He is said to be the Presidency’s favoured candidate for the 2015 governorship election in the state.
He is the chief supporter of the Obuah-led faction of the PDP in the state and enjoys the backing of the five anti-Amaechi assembly men.
The first lady’s presence in town practically shut down the city.
Security was heavy and traffic paralysed especially in and around St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Hospital Road, venue of the wedding and Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Moscow Road, where the reception took place.
Several Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), soldiers, policemen and State Security Service (SSS) operatives were deployed in strategic places.
Mrs Jonathan, a native of Rivers State, had once openly clashed with Amaechi when she scolded him for demolishing shanties in parts of the state.
It was gathered that she met last night with the anti-Amaechi lawmakers.
The governor is also not in the good books of the Presidency for his acts of ‘insubordination’ toward President Goodluck Jonathan.
He is perceived as threatening the chances of the president for a second term in office by allegedly agreeing to run as vice presidential candidate to a Northerner in 2015.
He has denied the allegation.
He is also blamed for defying the Presidency by running for a second term as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). He defeated the Presidency’s candidate, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau in the election by 19 votes to 16.
He is currently on suspension by the party
Also at yesterday’s wedding were a former Minister of Science and Technology, King Ebitimi Banigo, now the Amanyanabo of Okpoma in Bayelsa State, the Amanyanabo-elect of Ogu, Nicholas Nimenibo, former Governor Celestine Omehia and former Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives Chibudom Nwuche and Austin Opara.
Others were Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas; PDP National Women leader, Kema Chikwe; ex-Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe; Dr. Abiye Sekibo, factional chairman of PDP in Rivers State, Chief Felix Obuah; Senator Lee Maeba, the National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Chief Nkechi Mba; and the wife of the Bayelsa Governor, Rachael Dickson.
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I have lost a lot of respect for the first Lady. How can she compare the tenure of Odilli whom we all know looted all the wealth of this state and left nothing on ground. We should always be TRUE to our God and not allow our personal ambitions cloud our senses. While her husband is supporting a rebel Jang she is supporting criminals like Wike and Odilli. God help Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteI fink u don't know what ur saying.
DeleteI fink u don't know what ur saying.
DeleteMadam please stop trying to deceive us and go back go Abuja. Hilarious How can you compare Odilli who can't even come go Rivers State because of his terrible tenure and Amaechi ? Na wa O ! All because of politics.
ReplyDeletewas she praying to God or what? nonsense, What was ur husbands achievements as Governor in Bayelsa? remove the plank in ur eyes mrs jonathan before removing the dust in Amaechi's eye. Governor Amaechi did not sponsore tugs and put them on the state pay list, this is a free world Amaechi has the right to vote and to be voted for and to contest in any Election. The first lady's statement just Proves that him and the hussy President Jonathan has some bad intentions against Gov. Amaechi. Let God be the judge.
ReplyDeleteThe first lady should stay clear of politics.
ReplyDeleteAmeachi's Rivalry with the president is annoying.he has no reason to be rebellious. Mind you he(Ameachi) is not doing it for the people but for his own selfish interest.
Ur saying d ryt ting bro. Amaechi does not ve d interest of d region@hrt, all his 5tin 4 is his own personal interest. But dis pple don't understand
DeleteAunty Patience, don't focus on Rivers State.
ReplyDeleteThe whole of Nigeria has lost its attractiveness.
What has Oga Jona done about it?
Corruption everywhere and we are supposed to feed our families with " breathe of fresh air"
Mtcheeeew.
Will someone please send this stupid bitch back to the kitchen where she rightly belongs. No offence to women in general but I mean just her alone 'cause she has nothing to contribute. Nothing.
ReplyDeleteShooting her mouth off all the time. Worse than her limp dick husband. Ignorant dumb bitch.
Oga @ d top should get someone that will always vet her comment. A o can she compare amechi's tenure with odili?
ReplyDeleteIt is very clear that the duo, Odili and Amaechi collaborated as governor and speaker then to ruin the Rivers state.
ReplyDeleteIn the first tenure of Amaechi as governor, Wike collaborated as CoS to again ruin the state.
God is the defense of the masses and the taxpayers and His will shall prevail in Rivers state.
I think the problem is us,who just sit down and allow all sorts of trash to be poured on us without d slightest resistance. As far as I'm concerned Nigerians rank very high among d gullible & vulnerable pple worldwide. A 10th of d nonsense that happen everyday are not up to what has brought about uprisings & revolution in other parts of d world. I pray someone or something wakes us up from this deep slumber....Chris
ReplyDeleteAnother testimony that GEJ is a confused President. If he cannot control the excesses of his out of control wife, how can he ever control a whole country. GEJ need to put his wife in check. She is obviously not cut out for politics. You never compare light and darkness. No matter how bad you paint CRA, he is still 1m time better than Odili period.
ReplyDeleteShame on mrs Jonathan,how come all these looters came around you,those who are not suppose appear in public again,someone like Peter odili,Alaibe...it means you are birds of the same feather,what you and your husband are doing in Ao Rock will soon be exposed.Amaechi will soon survive it,is it an offence have the ambition capable of moving the Nation forward? Why threatening him,who told Jonathan he is coming back 2nd time?
ReplyDeleteA shameful comment from a so called "first lady" I wonder what rigth has she to challenge a governor and worst still another woman husband. I advise she should take care of her home
ReplyDeleteThe most stupendous things to happen in Black Africa; How can GEJ allow his wife? to be going around uttering nonsense about a public figure duly elected into office. This woman is really uneducated!! How can one, with his/her rightful mind compare Port Harcourt with what it was 6 years back? She thinks she is a god probably, her days are numbered and soon someone else will be there where her husband is, for sure he can't make a second third term.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the abuses and praises from all of us the poor woman has returned toAbuja
ReplyDeleteLet us give peace a chance as all those being mentioned were in the wedding were there on account of your enemy's enemy is your friend
God will raise us credible leadership in the country and Rivers state
Honestly patience just vomits words without thinking CRA will survive at least in tenure we slept with our two eyes closed. She has no business insulting an elected Governor she is about starting another crisis in the state but God will not allow it, blood suckers
ReplyDeleteWhat does pepe knows about politics.she should remain quite in men's affairs and when politics is involved.
ReplyDeleteWether Amechi is fighting for self interest or not.If We have people like him running state affairs ,Nigeria would have moved better compared to this stand still.The guy has worked and he is better than oga joe
ReplyDeleteMrs Jona z d cos of d fight btw Amechi n Jona. She has come again to fuel it. Can such happen in US or Europe? Sure she z uneducated even if pple want her to behave that way to make them support Jona 4d 3rd term she shld ask herself qtns, wat z she gaining causing wahala n set back in Rivers state. Now outside PH but was in PH althrough Odili's regine, he did nothing, refuse dump everywhere, no roads, can't even say what Odili did wt all d monthly allocations. Now u want to compare him wt Amechi who has atleast started on good note. Sorry for mr n mrs Jona on Rivers state issues, d world has moved on above their kind of politics.
ReplyDeleteAmaechi has right to nurse any political ambition whatsoever. Jonathan is simply threatened by Ameachi's smart political moves because he (Jonathan) is grossly incompetent to lead. Let him forget about 2015 and leave Amaechi alone.
ReplyDelete