Amaechi: Jonathan taking sides on Soku oil wells

Governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, has urged Rivers people to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government in next year’s election in order to secure their future.

Amaechi accused President Goodluck Jonathan of bias in the disputed Soku oil wells, saying people of the state would never have access to “their oil wells” should PDP return to power in 2015.

He spoke at the weekend in Degema, headquarters of Degema local government area of the state after commissioning an 8,000-sitting capacity football stadium complex built by the local government administration.

According to Amaechi, the PDP has nothing to offer Kalabari people, and one way for the people to regain their lost oil wells and benefit from democratic governance is to vote out the party.

He accused President Goodluck Jonathan of taking sides in the Soku oil wells matter. He narrated the president’s reaction during a meeting with Kalabari Chiefs.

“In that meeting, before Kalabari Chiefs, Mr. President said to us, ‘Uou people call it Soku; we from Bayelsa call it Oluasiri’. ‘Is Soku Oluasiri?’ he questioned, and the people said ‘No’.

“As president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is not supposed to take sides. The moment he says it is called Oluasiri, he is taking sides and we have no faith in Mr. President returning our oil wells,” Amaechi said.

“They have taken the (Soku) oil wells; they are spending the money because they have the Presidency. The only way you can get back your oil wells is to vote out Mr. President.

“The only opportunity you have now is your vote. Vote him out; he is not Rivers, He is from Bayelsa. He has not and will not serve us and I have said here, let Mr. President tell us what he has done for us,” Amaechi said.

He noted with regret that his efforts to build Trans-Kalabari road in the state and reconstruct the Emohua-Abonnema federal road already in deplorable condition was frustrated by Jonathan.

He therefore called on the people to fight for their rights by using their voting strength to correct all anomalies by voting out the ruling PDP.

“When I was coming here (to Degema), I saw the Emohua-Abonnema road; it is going bad. When I met the president with Kalabari Chiefs and I told the president: That road is going very bad; if we don’t intervene now, that road will soon be impassable. Mr. President, that road is a federal road’.

“He said he knew. And I then asked, Mr. President, can the Rivers state government reconstruct that road, because that is the only road by which Kalabari people come out to town? But Mr. President said no.

“He told me no, and said he would do it. One year plus, he has not done it. So what you will do to make sure you have a road next year is to vote out PDP. If Mr President says he is our brother, because I hear Kalabari people say he is our brother, let him do our road; let him return our Soku oil wells.

“I begged him that the federal government is owing Rivers State N105bn, he should take N50bn from there and help me construct Trans-Kalabari road. He said Amaechi, I will do it.

“Three years after, Mr. President has not done it, so he is not a Kalabari man. Don’t follow your buccaneer brothers who want to be governor and all that and because of their personal selfish interests, they want to sell the Kalabari Kingdom.

“You are the youths, defend your kingdom. Nobody should take away what belongs to you. The Kalabari people are known to fight for their rights. They are people who can stand up to any challenge to protect themselves and their people. One way to defend your kingdom is to vote out those who don’t have your interest at heart.”

On the commissioned project, Amaechi commended Degema council chairman, Hon. Ibigoni Daddy Pokima for constructing the state-of-the-art sports complex named after late Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry, immediate past speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly.

Earlier, Pokima said history had been made in the local government area by the visit of the governor.

He said his administration had concentrated on providing dividends of democracy to the people of the local government area and thanked Governor Amaechi for his immense support.

“Your Excellency, I feel a sense of fulfilment to say that Bakana, Oguruama, Amatamgbolo and Fuche communities have been hooked up to the national grid.

“Then we thought of coming back to our first dream – engaging and channelling the energy of our youths into meaningful venture other than in restiveness and militancy – hence the vision to build this sports complex.”

“As a government, we are gratified that the vision we conceived about three years ago has come to solid fruition. I believe this complex will provide a serene and conducive atmosphere for our people especially our youths to develop and exhibit their sporting prowess.”

After the commissioning, Amaechi took a shot at goal to kick off the peace tournament between Team Rivers and Team Degema.