The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, of betraying him after he recommended him to President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment.
He stated that Wike, a two-term Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council of Rivers state, had sworn with the names of his children never to betray him (Amaechi), but could not act as a gentleman.
Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), stated these yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when his Ikwerre kinsmen and prominent Ikwerre monarchs visited him under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers.
Wike, a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, doubled as the Director-General of the Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011. He is an Ikwerre as Amaechi and wants to be Rivers governor in 2015 which the governor said would never happen to ensure equity, justice and fairness in the multi-ethnic state.
The NGF chairman reiterated that in order to convince him to forward his name as ministerial nominee to President Jonathan, Wike swore with his own children that he would never betray him, but betrayed him shortly after being appointed as the Minister of State for Education.
Amaechi said: “I told my friends who are governors. I said when you will be betrayed at the end of 2015, you will almost be in a state of coma because you have not experienced it.
“Wike swore with the names of his children that he would never betray me, that I should put his name forward for ministerial appointment. I asked him to swear with the names of his children, which he did.
“No matter the condition, I will never swear with the names of my children. Nothing will make me swear with the names of my children. But if I make the mistake of swearing with the names of my children, nothing outside God will make me betray you.
“Not because any harm will befall the children. It is the honour you bestow on those children that should make you not to betray whatever word you have given to anybody.”
The NGF chairman also expressed shock that the supervising minister of education was claiming that he did not nominate him for the ministerial appointment. The NGF chairman said he had done and completed more projects in other parts of the state, than in his Ikwerre homeland, in keeping with his detribalised attitude to governance.
The Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers, Eze Blessing Wagor, had earlier stated that Amaechi was a victim of betrayal in many instances, but lauded his strength of character and courage in facing up to treacherous behaviour.
Wagor noted that the Rivers governor had helped to install Ikwerre sons in positions of responsibility, most of whom he said failed to appreciate him.
Wagor also stated that in the area of governance, Amaechi’s government provided Ikwerre people with good roads, model schools, functional health centres and hospitals, just as he extended the facilities to other ethnic groups in the state.
Source: The Nation
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