His name is Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. He is a lawyer and a politician. He is the Supreme Court of Nigeria-made governor of Rivers State of Nigeria. He was a parliamentarian and speaker of the State House of Assembly during the former governor Peter Odili's administration; but later fell out of favor with the governor who then conspired with Olusegun Obasanjo to sabotage his candidacy for governor of Rivers State. However, he went to court for redress, and although he did not contest any election as governor, he was however installed as one by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. That is by way of little bio-politics of Rotimi Amaechi, the governor of Rivers State, Nigeria.
However the gist of this treatise is not the governor but what the governor did. He exposed himself to unfathomable risk by going on an open sea in a tiny boat, undeserving of a chief executive of an oil producing Rivers State, Nigeria.
However the gist of this treatise is not the governor but what the governor did. He exposed himself to unfathomable risk by going on an open sea in a tiny boat, undeserving of a chief executive of an oil producing Rivers State, Nigeria.
Why the dingy Mr Governor Rotimi Amaechi? A governor of an oil producing Niger Delta State of Nigeria, Rivers State deserves a lot better. It is unimaginable that the security apparatus of the governor would even allow the governor to expose himself to such an outrageous risk to bodily harm, by allowing him to take such a canoe-ride to whatever Bolo Community in Rivers State for a purported "Meet the People Tour".That the governor, pictured here below sitting fourth from left in a bowler-hat, in this cramped, over-loaded canoe (boat) should venture into an
open sea in such a contraption defies every sensible logic. There is a risk of boat capsizing as a result of possible turbulence with the governor drowning? There is a risk of the boat taking in water and sinking in the process? A better, more sea-worthy boat could have been more befitting of a governor of Rivers State! Better still and admitted that Rivers State is a riverine area, a helicopter would have been deployed to fly the governor across to his destination? Did his security outfit not think of the possibility of a turbulence or the intractable Niger Delta militants pervading the area? What if they had struck and the governor was abducted and taken hostage or forced to leap off the boat into the treacherous sea or even killed in a shoot-out, since Icheokudotcom could sight some uniformed security details also aboard the boat. The security concerns were just too much to have allowed this aberration of a governor of a state in this unprotected canoe! 
Does it mean that Rivers state, awash with petrol-dollars, cannot afford to buy a modern boat (see pictures), be it speed-boat, tour-boat, racing-boat, house-boat, patrol-boat etc for the use of the state's chief executive? This is a state where its past governor Peter Odili allegedly stole over two hundred (200) million dollars USD from the state's coffers. This becomes imperative since Rivers State, as the name connotes, has a lot of water areas that the governor has to visit from time to time. Assuming Rivers State cannot afford an outright ownership purchase of a befitting boat, does it also mean that Rivers State cannot afford to rent or lease a comfortable boat, with some added luxury, befitting of a state's chief executive? Also his protocol could have asked any of the oil-companies operating in the state to loan one of their numerous boats for this governor's visit. 
Icheokudotcom is taking up this matter not because we particularly give a damn about these election-riggers in Nigeria, no, we do this because of the embarrassment the governor's canoe-ride caused Nigerians in the eye of the world. How can a state governor be found in such a risky pedestrian contraption, knowing fully that he carries on his shoulder the responsibility of an entire state? What if? and so many other what ifs? Can you imagine what an incident, a possible accident, could have caused both Rivers State and Nigeria? Look at the number of people, possibly government officials, cramped into the tiny rickety dinghy and yet this is a state that gets a lion share of the oil-derived revenue as allocated in Nigeria? We hear of boats capsizing all over the world and this particular contraption carrying the governor of Rivers State of Nigeria, does not necessarily appear to be very sea-worthy indeed! Look at the little clearance of the top of the canoe from the water - a height of less than two feet between the stern and the sea! Look at the sardine-like manner in which the people were stacked on that boat! What if an emergency developed, where would the rescue team have started from? It would have been very difficult to even save the governor, who was not particularly identifiable with any special color-coded outfit or sequestered enough for immediate rescue. Admitted that most people from Rivers State of Nigeria are good swimmers, but why use this canoe-ride as a trial-run for Nigeria's Olympian Micheal Phelps?
Whatever be the matter, Icheokudotcom discourages this type of over-exposure to unnecessary and avoidable risk to a state's chief executive's life. More-so when it could have been entirely avoided at little or less cost to Rivers State or any other state for that matter. Rivers State, please buy a "comfortable near-luxury" boat for your state or rent one or lease one for the use of your officials including the governor. A boat that would enable the governor to attend to your state's riverine matters without undue risk to any water-related accident including drowning. Since the terrain of your state is water-logged and while touring some parts of your state will require the governor to ferry across bodies of water, you need an official state boat as a matter of immediacy . A boat with cabin that could protect the governor from the elements should mother-nature call - torrential rainfall, wind, heat-wave, tidal wave etc? The match-box in the offending picture has nothing sheltering the governor from the sky hence he was a sitting duck for whatever the heavens may have decided to throw at him.A mid-sized "comfortable near-luxury" boat, not necessarily a yacht, is what the doctor ordered - just a speed boat with some cabin which could be sourced for about one hundred (100) thousand dollars or slightly more. It will be a wise investment for the state and it automatically qualifies as a state asset. A state like Rivers State can easily afford this 'toy' instead of having her highest ranking official as well as some of her other state officials exposed to several maritime risks as the above picture portrayed. What Peter Odili alone, allegedly looted from your state would buy such a boat several times over, so do it because you can and also because it is the right thing to do. Rotimi Amechi, are you listening? Rivers House of Assembly are you listening? Rivers State people are you listening? Just do it for the image of Rivers State! Do it for the image of Nigeria! DO IT NOW, buy a befitting boat for your governor's use!
N244bn Rivers loot: EFCC moves to arrest Odili
ReplyDelete• Challenges court order • Turns searchlight on indicted banks, others
By DICKSON OMONODE
THE attempts by former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili to escape the long arms of the law may presently be fluttering. National Daily investigation has disclosed fresh initiatives by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to bring the erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopeful who was governor of the oil-rich state for eight years to book.
It was reliably gathered that the anti-corruption agency last week got the nod of the Federal High Court to challenge the perpetual injunction restraining it from arresting or prosecuting Dr. Odili.
With this development, sources close to the EFCC hinted, the coast is now clear to bring Odili and those indicted by the investigation which has since been concluded to book.
According to our source, there is a 70-30 per cent chance, in favour of the anti-graft commission, of getting the restraining order vacated within the next 21 days.
It was also disclosed that two First Generation banks and a Third Generation bank that were used by the embattled former Rivers governor may be dragged along in the trial. Investigators believe that the banks failed to report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the suspicious transactions.
To date, it has been practically impossible for the anti-corruption body to arrest, detain or prosecute Odili in view of his 'smart' move to have secured a perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from arresting, detaining or prosecuting him. The injunction which was granted by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, also restrained EFCC jointly and severally from publishing or disseminating its investigative report on the alleged looting of Rivers State by Odili. With this injunction, Odili has remained untouchable, but not for too long, as the Farida Waziri-led EFCC has engaged the services of a formidable team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria to help quash the ruling.
National Daily intelligence further gathered that the team of Lawyers has put together over a hundred charges that would be preferred against Odili and those believed to have played roles in the alleged looting of Rivers State treasury to the tune of about N244bn.
During investigation, Dr. Odili just like his Delta State counterpart, Chief James Ibori, refunded to the EFCC the United States Dollar equivalence of N2 billion as part of funds allegedly looted from Rivers State treasury. Also, dozens of property and huge funds amounting to several billions of Naira have been traced by investigators to allies and cronies of the former Rivers State governor.
Information reaching National Daily has revealed that EFCC has spread its dragnet around Odili as well as indicted individuals and corporate organisations that would be charged to court. According to sources within the EFCC, they are all under surveillance at the moment.
“It will be the mother of all legal battles,” said an Odili ally who did not want his name mentioned. Adding, “let us see how the EFCC can substantiate their claims that Odili looted Rivers State funds.
Odili's woes began when he failed to snatch the presidential ticket of the ruling party in a run up to the 2007 presidential elections. The then President Olusegun Obasanjo was said to have been privy to an investigation report conducted by the EFCC under the leadership of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The report which was submitted to President Obasanjo on the eve of the ruling party's national convention primarily doused Odili's Aso Rock ambition. Odili reportedly tried in vain to have the report set aside by mounting pressure on the EFCC through a combination of traditional rulers and known associates of his friend, President Obasanjo. His plot failed.
The report made it to the president and on the strength of the report, he was asked to withdraw from contesting his party's primaries, a decision that brought tears to his eyes. On his part, Ribadu had vowed to jail Odili, and was actually at the verge of making real this threat when Odili got the court order perpetually restraining the EFCC from arresting, detaining or prosecuting him for stealing state funds.
It was however gathered that Odili, himself, is not leaving the matter to fate. He is said to be mobilising a team of legal luminaries should the EFCC succeed in its moves to vacate the restraining order.