Photos: Gov. Amaechi detained by soldiers in Ondo – Rivers Govt

The Rivers State Government has issued a statement saying the state
Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has been arrested and detained by security
operatives in Odudu, Ondo state.
Governor Amaechi had arrived Ondo state en-route Ado-Ekiti where he
was to join his fellow APC Governor, Kayode Fayemi for the last lap of
his re-election campaign today in when he was refused entry into the
state. He decided to turn back to Ondo state to go board the private
jet that brought him but was however arrested by security agents.

Read the statement from Rivers Government plus pictures of Amaechi
being held at the Ondo/Ekiti border by soldiers after the cut
The Rivers State Government is concerned about the safety of Governor
Amaechi who is right now being held hostage commando style by soldiers
and federal government security agents in Odudu, Ondo state.

Governor Amaechi as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' forum and as an
APC governor and chieftain had left Port Harcourt this morning for
Ekiti state where he was to join his brother governor in his last mega
rally before the elections.

Governor Amaechi was ambushed and refused entry into Ekiti by military
personnel acting on orders from above. He made to turn back and return
to Akure where his chattered aircraft was parked but was chased and
rounded by armed soldiers and security personnel in Odudu, Ondo state.
According to the captain who led the operation, he had orders not to
allow the governor entry or exit.

In the meantime, the chattered aircraft that conveyed he governor has
been grounded while the minsters of Defence, police Affairs and
Minister of state for Defence have landed at the Akure airport.

The Rivers State government is especially worried that Federal
government and President Jonathan have singled out Governor Amaechi
for harassment and attack.

While we hold the person and office of the President in utmost
regards, we believe that it is unacceptable that the presidency would
disrespect the person and office of an elected governor of a
federating unit and consistently hound him.

The Rivers state government is all more worried as Ondo saga is
coming on the heels of a plot by six PDP lawmakers this morning to
carry out a kangaroo impeachment of the duly elected governor of
Rivers State, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, con first at Krisdara
hotels and later Bauchi street, Port Harcourt.

Ordinarily such banality should be ignored as it is neither legal nor
constitutional. However in the light of the recent attempts to hoist a
Chief Judge on Rivers people through the back door and the attendant
rumours that the reason for that desperate act was to make it easier
for the PDP to actualize its sinister daydream of ousting Governor
Amaechi before May 29, 2015, we believe that it has become necessary
to draw the attention of Rivers people, Nigerians and the
international community to the situation in Rivers State.

Only yesterday, in preparation for this tragicomedy, the Rivers State
chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Amaechi
of importing terrorists into the state and the region. They continued
their diatribe by demanding that the governor of Rivers State be put
under surveillance. The State Government wouldn't have dignified the
PDP's display of ignorance with a response but for the fact that these
accusations coupled with today's actions are omniuos signs of how far
the PDP is willing to go in its quest to cling onto power by all
means.

The antecedents of impunity on the part of the leadership of the PDP
are instructive and the party's desperation to harm and stop anyone
they perceive as major threat to their crumpling electoral fortunes
next year is no longer news. The detention attempt and incident at the
Kano International Airport last week are still fresh in the minds of
Nigerians. Also, the call to put Gov Amaechi under surveillance (or is
it house arrest?) on the same day that PDP started effort to unseat
the Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency, Murtala Nyako, is
enough indication of the script already written by a jittery PDP
It is sad that the insane minds of the authors of the PDP accusation
are jeopardizing police investigations of the 486 travellers who were
intercepted in Aba, Abia State, and who are still being screened. One
only wishes that the PDP would address the issues of the insecurity in
the country with as much fervor and vigour as it deploys towards witch
hunting its political opponents
The River Government wishes to state that the world knows those who
feather the nest of cultists and militants and for whom they are canon
fodder. Governor Amaechi's position on cultisim, violence and
insecurity are clear as is his commitment to fighting poverty and
improving the lives of our present and future generations.

The Rivers State Government will not be deterred in its efforts to
deliver good governance and ddemocratic dividends to our people.