The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi
Amaechi, Vows not to settle the political feud between him and barrister NYesom Wike unless justice is done.
He said this yesterday Wednesday, May 27th 2015 at Corpus Christi Cathedral D/line Port-Harcourt.
Amaechi, on Tuesday May 27th 2015, accused barrister Wike of being
behind the deaths recorded in the state during the general elections. But
Wike had denied the allegation.
The governor made this declaration during
his 50th birthday thanksgiving service at the Corpus Christi Cathedral
in Port Harcourt, while reacting to the plea by the Catholic Bishop of
Port Harcourt Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Camillus Etokudoh, that both
politicians (Amaechi and Wike) should reconcile their differences in the
interest of the people.
Amaechi,
who agreed that the views of the bishop in a Catholic church should not
be opposed, maintained that justice must come before forgiveness,
adding that those that were killed during the general elections and
their families must get justice.
Amaechi expressed surprise that the
bishop congratulated Wike on his victory during the governorship
election in the state, even as he called on the church to join the All
Progressives Congress in praying that the party reclaimed its mandate.
He pointed out that the mandate of the
APC in the state must be reclaimed at the election petition tribunal
before any reconciliation could be embraced.
“My Lordship talked about forgiveness. In
the Catholic Church you don’t oppose the views of your bishop. His
words represent an order. If you oppose him you may be barred from
taking Holy Communion.
“You are not a true Catholic if you don’t
receive the Holy Communion. But Your Lordship, the same Catholic
doctrine also states that justice comes before forgiveness.
“All those that were killed during the
last general elections must get justice. Their families must get
justice. Our party, the All Progressives Congress, must get justice
first at the petition election tribunal. Our mandate must be retrieved
at the tribunal.
“I am surprised that My Lordship
congratulated Nyesom Wike here today. I am using this opportunity to
call on the Church to join the APC in praying to God so that we can
reclaim our mandate.
“Reclaiming our mandate at the election
petition tribunal will represent a measure of justice. We must seek
justice before reconciliation,” the governor stressed.
Amaechi, however, said that he was
shocked by some of the people that betrayed him, adding that God will
forgive them at the appropriate time.
He thanked members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who, according to him, supported him without getting money from him.
“I was shocked by some of the people that
betrayed me. At the appropriate time, God will forgive them. Let me use
this opportunity to thank members of the Rivers State House of Assembly
for their support all through the crisis. I did not give them money to
stand by me. I commend them for their sacrifice,” he said.
He explained that the Resident Electoral
Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Gesila Khan, had not given the APC the
voter register, which the Independent National Electoral Commission used
in conducting the last general elections in the state.
Earlier, the Catholic Bishop, Etokudoh,
had congratulated Wike for his electoral victory and urged him and
Amaechi to settle their differences.
“As for the outgoing governor and the
incoming governor, I urge them to work together so that there will be
peace. We need peace in Rivers State.
“There can be no reconciliation without
forgiveness. There will be no peace without reconciliation. So, it is
time for the outgoing governor and the incoming governor to reconcile so
that peace will return to Rivers State. No matter their differences,
they should reconcile in the interest of peace,” Bishop Etokudoh, who
was delivering a sermon at the event, added.
The cleric described Amaechi as a
courageous person, adding that the governor had touched many lives in
the eight years that he was the chief executive of the state.
Etokudoh, however, stated that though Amaechi performed creditably as a governor, some people still prefer to begrudge him.
Among those at the occasion are Edo State
Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief
John Odigie-Oyegun; a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode
Fayemi; a former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada-George; a
former Transport Minister, Alabo Graham-Douglas; and Kaduna State
Governor-elect, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.
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