MINISTERIAL NOMINATION: WHY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD NOT SUCCUMB TO BLACKMAIL AGAINST CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI

The Senate President

National Assembly

Abuja.

Attention:

The Speaker

House of Representatives

Sir,

MINISTERIAL NOMINATION: WHY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD NOT SUCCUMB TO BLACKMAIL AGAINST CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI

Your Excellency, the professionalism and commitment so far deployed by the National Assembly before clearing 18 of the Ministerial Nominees is quite commendable and a clear indication that members of the legislature at National level are ready to key into the focused, painstaking and strategic approach by the President Muhammadu Buhari/Vice President Yemi Osinbajo administration to positively redirect the course of Nigeria in line with the All Progressives Congress, APC Change philosophy.

Sir, while I join other well meaning Nigerians to commend the effort of the Senate thus far in the screening exercise of 18 of the Ministerial Nominees, I’m compelled at this juncture to passionately appeal that reason should prevail against obvious blackmail embedded in alleged corruption, canvassed against a distinguished son of the Niger Delta, Trojan of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Fighter for Justice and Rule of Law, ex-Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Your Excellency, I am strongly convinced that the pockets of petition (s) against the ministerial nomination of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi by President Muhammadu Buhari is as a result of several reasons, including the following:

* His avid support for President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates’ election amid frightening opposition in the Niger Delta where he hails from.

*Governors in the Niger Delta who “won” election on the platform of the PDP are apprehensive of Rotimi Amaechi’s antecedents as defender of the oppressed and thus afraid that if ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi is in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, their mal-administration and corrupt tendencies will be roundly exposed to the advantage of genuine as well as right-thinking Nigerians.

*Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s fight against militancy, illegal oil bunkering and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta while he was Governor of Rivers State, is also one of the several factors, sponsored protests and petitions are flying against his confirmation by the Senate as Minister designate. This is not unconnected with speculations that Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi may have been penciled down as possible Minister of Niger Delta Affairs by President Muhammadu Buhari. He who comes with equity must come with clean hands. Amaechi’s traducers should clear up the mess in their names, rather than wrongly accusing a man who has zero tolerance for corruption.

Mr. President, when Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi first raised alarm that the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration was a monumental failure, despite the so called Niger Delta agitations which began with genocide against Itsekiris, some people shouted to high heavens that he was disloyal, but it is now apparent that there is nothing visible on ground to show the Niger Delta produced Nigeria’s President for six years.

That was how ex-Governor James Onanefe Ibori was politically witch-hunted by the same political clique in the name of corruption, while worse governors in the Niger Delta who were perceived loyal were either overlooked or granted pardon, but recent revelations by the EFCC, ICPC and other anti graft units have exposed the real promoters of corruption and criminality.

If ex-Governor Raji Babatunde Fashola made it clear at the Floor of the Senate during his screening that as governor he did not sign cheques, he was not a contractor but Chief Executive and as such did not execute any contract, so why would anybody accuse Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of corruption when there is no evidence to show that he executed any contract by himself as Chief Executive of Rivers State.

Only a man like Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who is sure of himself can challenge the Rivers State Government to prove their allegations of corruption against him in court and not hinge their argument on bias panel given a particular direction to assassinate his character and reputation.

Permit me to note with the greatest sense of responsibility that some ex-governors on the platform of PDP who are today in the Senate are being investigated by the EFCC and ICPC, but they are still carrying out their legitimate function, because no one is presumed guilty until a competent court of law rules as such. So why should the Chibuike Amaechi’s case be different? This is a confirmation that it is just a case of blackmail and political witch-hunt.

I dare to say that all the hype against Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s nomination as minister is the handiwork of PDP governors and Senators from the Niger Delta who are afraid that if confirmed as Minister, Chibuike Amaechi alongside President Muhammadu Buhari will ensure the eventual death of PDP in the region.

Mr. President I am very sure your memory is still very fresh on how you and five PDP Governors, including Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi defected from the PDP to form the “New PDP” which later collapsed into APC to form a strong political unit that gave birth to the present federal administration. It’s my believe that you will pilot the upper legislature in doing the needful as far as Chibuike Amaechi clearance is concerned.

Your Excellency, as I honestly look forward to the Senate clearing Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as Ministerial Nominee come Tuesday October 20, 2015, I must not fail to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to continually support Governor Adams Oshiomhole, ex-governor Timipre Sylva and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi so as to allow the growth of All Progressives Congress, APC in the Niger Delta and completely collapsed the corrupt and dying PDP.

Thanks and God Bless

Chief Ayirimi Emami

The Ajuwaoyiboyanmi A.K.A. Akulagba of Warri Kingdom

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