Former Minister of National Planning, Prof Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman believes the recent attack on the convey of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state in Port-Harcourt is a desperate bid by the APC to control the state. Zakariyau Abdulrahman reports.
Sir, what is your opinion on the recent face-off between the Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi?
This APC government is so desperate about controlling Rivers State. They believed Rivers State is second to none, they believe Rivers State is the heaven of the country’s economy and they can’t allow such state to be in the hands of the opposition.
As such, everything must be done, including militancy, coercion to take over Rivers State. But, Governor Wike is an Iroko Man, the Rivers people too are resolute they know who has done well and who has not done well. It is not by force, but by accomplishments. So, there is no amount of military the APC can mobilized to intimidate the Governor and the good people of Rivers State that will work, so they should let the state be.
Considering what happened in the past, do you think Minister of Transport’s action is on a revenge mission?
Amaechi is just being stubborn as a person. You had your eight years each as Governor and Speaker of that state, under PDP what else do you what in life. It is time Nigeria leaders appreciated one thing, that there is no substitute to peace. If you make peaceful change impossible, then you result to violence and when there is violence you may not have the capacity to manage that violence. Nigeria is already having a lot in its plate, this should not be added.
All that the APC is trying to do in Rivers State is a resort to violence, which will not be in anybody’s interest. Today, we are sitting down comfortably because we are at peace, today there are many people with arms and ammunitions we should not allowed them to utilize those ammunitions.
So I want to appeal to the APC administration, to President Buhari, that this country has been so useful, faithful and generous to him. That in his over 70 years of existence Nigeria has done so much for him for almost fifty years, he should think of the children, youths and to maintain a statesman posture, rather than being partisan, rather than being sentimental and allowing nepotism to becloud his reasoning.
He should allow every state to decide who governs them. He should perhaps call his boy Ameachi to order, so that Rivers State governor and the good people of Rivers state can enjoy peace.
All that the APC is trying to do in Rivers State is a resort to violence, which will not be in anybody’s interest
