Almost two years ahead of 2019 governorship election, former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has declared war on his ally and senator from the state, Magnus Abe, vowing to frustrate the former’s gubernatorial ambition.
Daily Sun gathered that the minister has boasted that he would frustrate moves by Abe to get the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, accusing him of treachery and disloyalty.
Sources revealed that at a meeting Amaechi held with APC leaders from the four local government areas in Ikwerre area of the state last Saturday, he vowed to use everything at his disposal to stop Senator Abe.
It was gathered that the APC select stakeholders’ meeting convened by Amaechi held at the Port Harcourt GRA home of Chief Andrew Uchendu, where party leaders from Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt City, Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government areas attended, Amaechi accused Abe, who was not invited, of being a traitor.
He said because of Abe’s alleged treachery he would not support him to vie for the governorship election in 2019.
Feelers from the meeting revealed that Amaechi lamented that Abe had aligned with all the people he earlier introduced him to in Abuja to now work against his desire to install an APC governor of his choice in Rivers.
According to sources, Amaechi said the Executive Director of Finance/Admin at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mene Derek, for instance, who he nominated on recommendation from Abe, is now supporting Abe’s quest to be governor, against his wish.
It was also gathered that Amaechi accused former attorney general of the state, during his administration, Chief Worgu Boms, of supporting Abe’s 2019 governorship ambition, when the former commissioner knows he has another plan.
Boms, it was gathered, was said to have told Amaechi that inasmuch as he remains grateful that he gave him a job in his cabinet, when he was governor, he believed he was entitled to support anybody he so wishes in the race for the Brick House.
Sources at the meeting said Amaechi told the group that the 2019 governorship election is a battle between him and Governor Nyesom Wike, vowing to use everything at his disposal, including enough money, to fight for it.
The former governor was said to have boasted that he would put someone of his choice as next governor of Rivers, in 2019, and that Senator Abe will not be the choice.
Amaechi accused Senator Abe of joining him to fight former President Goodluck Jonathan because of his selfish interest of being governor, not because of his conviction or loyalty, sources revealed.
Reacting to this, an Ogoni chieftain, Chief Frank Demu, said it was wrong for Amaechi to threaten the governorship ambition of Abe, who is from Ogoni.
He said Ogoni people would stand behind Abe if he joins the governorship race and would “not allow someone who wants to play god to have his way, against their Ogoni son.”
Also commenting, Governor Wike said he had been vindicated over Amaechi’s behaviour.
He said whenever anybody holds a different view from Amaechi’s, he would brand the person as a traitor. He expressed surprise that Abe doesn’t know this.
On the 2019 governorship election, Wike said: “Rivers people will determine who will be governor. It is not Amaechi that will determine this. It is not security agents. It is not money. Our people will decide with their votes.”
