HUNDREDS of Rivers States indigenes in the UK stormed Chatham House in Central London today to show solidarity with their governor Rotimi Amaechi who is currently involved in an ugly spat with the federal government.
Carrying placards praising Governor Amaechi who came to deliver a speech titled Reform and Resource Governance in Nigeria at Chatham House, the students claimed they were there to show appreciation for the good work their governor was doing. Many of the students were beneficiaries of the governor's scholarship scheme designed to improve manpower in the state.
Chaired the British MP Richard Fuller, the vice chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria in the House of Commons, the session was part of Chatham House's African dialogue series. Home of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House regularly invites Nigerian politicians to the UK to participate in its discussions about how the African continent is developing.
Outlining a catalogue of achievements his administration can boast of since assuming office in 2007, Governor Amaechi reeled off a list that included infrastructural projects, the launching of agricultural plantations, sending hundreds of students on scholarship to the UK and Canada and the massive funding of education. He pointed out that 500 primary schools have been built in Rivers State during his tenure and 250 more will be commissioned starting from October this year.
Governor Amaechi said: "The academic structure we inherited was very bad as many children could not stay in school and those who did got a very poor education. We are building schools and uniforms, sandals, bags and books are free, while with healthcare, we have built 60 health centres and 70 more will be commissioned before the end of the year.
"We send 300 every year to the UK and Canada on scholarship and we have established palm oil and banana plantations that employ workers. By the end of our tenure, we would have laid the foundation for a more robust and less oil-dependent economy in Rivers State."
Speaking about his recent political troubles, Governor Amaechi pointed out that they all began when it was suspected that he had higher political ambitions for 2015. Stressing that he has not declared for any position yet, the governor said the impact of the clampdown was that several projects in Rivers State have been put on ice by the federal government.
Governor Amaechi said: "When the federal government suspects that you have an ambition, they do everything to bring you down. For instance, we have two helicopters to monitor security that they have refused permission to be brought into the country and they have frustrated plans we have to open a syringe manufacturing factory in Rivers State.
"Even if they have an issue with me, why should the whole of Rivers State suffer? We have numerous projects which we have signed agreements with the federal government to introduce and implement but since this crisis began, they have suspended all of them and the people feeling it are the ordinary people of Rivers State."
Adding that Rivers State has the second largest economy in Nigeria, the governor said he is of the opinion that good political leadership could improve things further. However, he added that the political culture in Nigeria where politicians believe they are doing the people a favour is a huge impediment as is the refusal of certain people to leave the political scene.
According to Governor Amaechi, certain politicians have remained on the scene despite having nothing more to offer because they have no other means of earning a living. He joked about he intends to leave politics one day as he does not fancy the idea of sitting round the table arguing with his children.
Stressing that the current crisis in Rivers State threatens security, Governor Amaechi said that some of the militant groups that have been disbanded have now been revived and are being used to cause mayhem and protest against his government. He added that on the day there was a fracas in the Rivers State House of Assembly, many of these thugs were bussed in with the connivance of the police commissioner.
Governor Amaechi said: "I used to be the speaker of the house and the law is that you are not even allowed to bring your walking stick in when entering. How did these people manage to bring in thugs, weapons, a fake mace and cause mayhem while the police were not only looking on buy aiding them?"
He pointed out that the violence started long before the recording seen on the widely circulated Youtube began when five assemblymen smuggled a fake mace into the Rivers State House of Assembly and used their hoodlums to create chaos. According to the governor, after the police commissioner refused to do anything about it, he went there with his security detail and it was they who eventually restored order.
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