Amaechi To Presidency: Jonathan’s Not My Prefect, Stop Threatening Me

The war of words between Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the Presidency took a dramatic turn on Monday as the governor not only threw the toga of rascality back at the Presidency, he reminded it that President Goodluck Jonathan is not his ‘Prefect’.

He also maintained that the Presidency cannot threaten him of sanctions for criticizing the president for not attracting developmental projects to the Rivers.
The Presidency had on Sunday angrily reacted to a claim made by Amaechi that the cause of the sour relationship between him and the Presidency was because President Jonathan hates Rivers people following the ceding of Soku oil wells in Kalabari to Bayelsa State and 40 Etche oil wells also in Rivers to Abia state. 

The governor also accused the wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan of fighting him because he refused her request to bring the money meant for Rivers people to Abuja.

While accusing the Nigeria Governors Forum Chairman of “political rascality”, the Presidency reminded him that the immunity he currently enjoys will one day end and a “day of reckoning” will surely come when he will answer for all his actions and false allegations against President Jonathan, the first lady and the federal government.
In his response to what appeared to be a veiled threat, the governor, through the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Ibim Semenitari said he never mentioned the name of the president or his wife during his speech at the All Progressives Congress mega rally in Port Harcourt at the weekend.

Semenitari also faulted Reuben Abati, the president’s spokesman, for failing to get his facts right before publishing the statement despite his wealth of experience as a journalist.
Semenitari said, “I would want to say that the Presidential Spokesman should be careful for the kind of threats he issues to an elected Governor.
“He should remember that the President is not a prefect of the governor. He was elected as President just as the Governor was elected as a governor, and Nigeria is a federation.
“And please, Abati should know his limits and need not attempt to cross his boundaries.
“It is a bit strange to hear the kind of comments coming out of the Presidency and this shows that the statement was already prepared before governor Amaechi spoke.

“At no point in his speech did Governor Amaechi make any references. His wife was not even discussed because she is not an official of government.
“I do not understand where or how Mr. Abati got his story, so we just take it that this is one of those clear indications of rascality within the Presidency trying to call a dog a bad name and hang it”.