RIVERS OF BLOOD: APC defends Amaechi against Wike’s blast

Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has risen in defence of former governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi, over Governor Nyesom Wike’s claim that the insecurity in the state was inherited from the previous administration.

Wike had on Sunday argued that the killings and kidnappings in Rivers started during the administration of former governor Rotimi Amaechi, currently the Minister of Transport.

Rivers State governor stated this during the thanksgiving service at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church Okrika, to commemorate the release of Patience Tam-George, the octogenarian mother of the state Commissioner of Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, who was freed after six days of being kidnaped.

“We are happy that our mother, Ma Patience Tam-George, did not die in the hand of the kidnappers. The issue of security challenges we are facing was inherited, it is not from us. That is why the governor has encouraged the security agencies to fight crime.

“The governor has zero tolerance for crime. The Amnesty programme, which is also one of the approaches, is to give the cults a second chance,” Wike who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Kenneth Kobani, had said, urging clerics to tell the youths to refrain from evil acts and violence.

He also urged Rivers people to support the efforts of the state government in fighting crimes in the state.

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However, the state APC refuted Wike’s claim arguing that during the reign of the former governor the state was safe.

Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, in his reaction discredited the governor’s position that kidnapping and killings were inherited from Amaechi’s administration.

“That is the most preposterous story to tell. Anybody who lived in Rivers State when Amaechi was governor agreed that Amaechi gave his all to fight insecurity in the state. It is possible that Kenneth Kobani (representative of the governor), who had gone on self-exile, did not come down to Rivers to experience the quiet and safe Rivers State then.

“He (Kobani) never lived in Rivers during the time Amaechi was governor. So, he spoke from the angle of lack of experience,” Finebone said.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

 

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