A chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has faulted the comparison of the administration of former governor Nyesom with ex-governor Chibuike Amaechi’s government by the factional spokesperson of APC in Rivers state, Chibuike Ikenga.
Ikenga had in his comparison stated that Wike is far better than Amaechi and that the former rewards loyalty while the latter punishes or destroys loyalty.
But in his reaction, Eze disagreed with Ikenga, stressing that Amaechi’s administration showed more committment to the development of Rivers state.
He said that comparing the duo and what they stand is attempting to compare light with darkness.
His words, ”It will take a very long time to begin to highlight the inputs of both Amaechi and Wike and the roles they played in the development or otherwise of Rivers State and probably their contributions to the Nigeria political space.
”In a bid not to bore you, let me state that Amaechi is more of a progressive, a pragmatic and futuristic leader while Wike on the other hand is more of a destructive and egoistic leader; full of himself, unlearned, hollow-brained, a power monger, and morally bankrupt.
”Amaechi while as governor confronted insecurity headlong; and it was the period when insecurity was on the peak in Rivers State. He deployed innovative strategies to contain the situation. In the other hand, Wike, on becoming governor destroyed all those machineries and security architecture put in place by Amaechi. And as a result, the menace of insecurity returned and ravaged the state unrestrained till date.
”Secondly, to save Nigeria from the current hunger hardship facing us as a nation, Amaechi set up the Songhai Farm that was capable of feeding the entire nation. Wike came and destroyed that farm. The farm had thousands of Rivers people under its employment but they all lost their jobs under Wike.
”Both the Banana Farm, the Buguma Fishery, the Oil palm trees set-up to make Rivers State a self-sufficient state set up by Amaechi were all destroyed by Wike when he assumed office as Governor. Again, his display of poor leadership took food off the tables of families and households.
”In view of the educational advancement of Rivers State, Amaechi built secondary schools and primary schools that was rated better than most of the Universities in Nigeria, Wike came and turned those schools to hideouts for criminals and safe habitation for reptiles.
”He finally handed out academic institutions to the military as training centres. Yet, Rivers State was classified as one of the educationally disadvantaged states, in which case, the state needed more academic centres than military facilities.
”Amaechi came and employed over 13,000 teachers at a time, the first of such an exercise in Africa to teach in those schools. Wike came and stopped the payment of most of these teachers.
”Amaechi came and offered scholarships to hundreds of our children, Wike came and stopped those scholarships and asked those outside the country to come back without completing their studies, citing lack of fund as reason; but same Wike sent his own children to the UK to get the best education with Rivers money.
”Amaechi used Rivers money to develop Rivers State but Wike oñ his own side became Father Christmas in Nigeria, donating billions of naira to other government and installing governments in states; a man who could not pay school fees for children of his state? Who does that!
”The syringe factory at Rumuosi is now confirmed dead. It was full of life when Amaechi handed over to him.
”Rivers State was home to the Hausas, Fulanis, Igbos, Yorubas and many other tribes in Nigeria when Amaechi was Governor; Wike came and ensured that most of their businesses in the State collapsed.
”While Amaechi was governor the civil servants salaries and pension of pensioners were paid when due; Wike came and made their lives a living hell.
”Amaechi had a vision of building a new Port Harcourt City to decongest the present Port Harcourt through setting up the Greater Port Harcourt City but Wike came and distorted the whole set up.
”While Amaechi was the Governor of Rivers State he attracted a lot of both local and foreign investments and Wike ensured that those foreign Investors ran away fron the State.
”During the period of Amaechi, he “scored yet another first with the unveiling of Port Harcourt as the first city in Nigeria to become the UNESCO World Book Capital defeating famous cities like Oxford and Moscow to become the UNESCO World Book Capital 2014, can anybody mention one international award won by the State during the destructive regime of Wike.
”The above notwithstanding, at the national level, google both Wike and Amaechi and you’ll get the results.
”THISDAY NEWSPAPER accorded Amaechi an award as the Best Minister of the Decade and the records are there even for sycophants to see that means that Amaechi is better than both past and present Ministers of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
”Amaechi is a very clean, focused, visionary leader and nationalist with interest in nation building, while the destructive politics of Wike will take Nigeria 20 years aback. The facts are there for any interested scholar to peruse through. This caused the recent Organisers of the National Constitutional Amendment Confab to invite Amaechi as one of her speakers”.
”The fact remains that Amaechi and Wike are opposite of each other in character and action, nay in all respects. They are like two parallel lines that do not meet; one representing light; the other stack darkness. But one striking semblance of relevance in both is that they are leaders; but one in his customary characteristics is grotesque mockery of a leader”.
Furthermore, the party chief lambasted the spokeman for turning round to betray Amaechi,his benefactor, describing him as an ingrate.
”Ikenga my brother, it is pitiable, and I find it uneasy to settle that the staggering pursuit of relevance in the political playground could reduce you into a merry mockery of the virtues you once held dear to. And more worrisome is the very fact that the authoritative code of morals has lost its force and effect in your beloved but checkered conscience.
”I cry not necessarily for Amaechi who has suffered untold hardship and injustice in the hands of those he has empowered but how those he nurtured into manhood deliberately lay him open to the jeers of mockeries of selfish jerks.
”What exactly did Amaechi do to you people? Some people brought a report to Amaechi that you are working underground for Wike. Trust Amaechi, he never believes in gossips, he confronted you with those facts and instead of you to address them, you resorted to shouting and taunting your own very brother and benefactor. You forgot how he appointed you as the Chairman of Ikwerre LGA.
”On a serious note, my brother Ikenga, come to think of it, is it not the same Wike you denied working with then, in the presence of Amaechi, that you are now kowtowing to and praising to high heavens? So, what was the basis of your denial? Do you not think that having aligned with Wike, the allegation is substantiated?
”A man who got these appointments and still turns round to betray the benefactor and call him names and accuse him of not rewarding loyalty must be the most ungrateful man on earth”.