During campaigns, our people were beaten, leaving many dead –Minister

 Killings went viral during last administration –Gov

From Chris Anucha and Tony John, Port Harcourt

Two days to the conduct of the remaining legislative rerun elections in Rivers State, the two major political gladiators in the state, Governor Nyesom Wike and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday traded words over killings in the state.

While Amaechi blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for violence and killings in the state, Wike said killings became rampant during the minister’s years as governor of the state.

Speaking to newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport, when he arrived the state ahead of the rerun elections, Amaechi accused PDP of sponsoring killings in the state, during 2015 general election and March 19, 2016 rerun elections.

He said the cache of arms and ammunition surrendered by cultists during the first phase of the Rivers State Amnesty Programme were evidence to buttress his allegations.

Amaechi said: “Wike sponsored those who carried arms in the 2015 general election. Even during the campaigns, our people were beaten, manhandled and others threatened, leaving many dead. But we will not continue to allow these things to happen like that. Members of the PDP were also responsible for killing of APC members in Omoku.”

Amaechi, in reaction to PDP and Governor Wike’s allegation that the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State were conniving with the All progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate election results, said: “If Governor Wike and the PDP have justifiable evidence, let them present it to the public and stop blackmailing me or INEC and police. The allegations are immaterial, null and void. Why is Wike and PDP making too much noise and fruitless allegations?”

Amaechi said he was more popular than all those in the PDP,  adding that when he left office in 2015, as governor of Rivers State, he had over 75 percent support from Rivers people and other Nigerians resident in the state.

“This is so because, as governor then, l overhauled the health and education sectors by promoting free health care system and free education; over 10,000 teachers were employed, including the building of critical infrastructure, roads and youth empowerment, making Rivers people and other Nigerians to experience change. So, l am very sure l had more popularity than any PDP stakeholder, including governors across the country.”

Reacting, Governor Wike described Amaechi’s position as sewage

Speaking through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, the governor said he did not need arms to defeat the APC in the state.

He stated: “We (PDP) know those who were behind the crisis in the State. Killings went viral during the last administration. The allegations by the Minister for Transportation against Governor Nyesom Wike is a smokescreen by the opposition to perpetrate planned killings in December 10 rerun elections.

“Rotimi Amaechi is probably the most toxic political personality in Rivers State because of his history of financial recklessness and visionless leadership during his time as governor of Rivers State.”

Dr. Tam-George said Wike’s impressive record of service delivery has won the hearts of the Rivers people.

He said the APC in Rivers State was suffocating under the weight of  Amaechi’s “disastrous legacy as governor of Rivers State for eight years.”

According to the commissioner, funds meant for the payment of salaries of workers and pensioners were diverted by Amaechi  to sponsor the political activities of the APC, thereby plunging millions of families into abject poverty and misery.

Dr. Tam-George said the minister was indicted by a court-approved Judicial Panel of Inquiry for allegedly embezzling public funds, insisting that while the APC-led Federal Government might have granted Amaechi unofficial amnesty, the Rivers people have a long memory, and would  continue to reject him and the APC in the state.

He said Amaechi’s attempt to steal the mandate of the people on Saturday, through the force of arms, would be resisted and defeated once again.