A HERO ABROAD, A VILLAIN AT HOME

As early as 1987, he was already the man of the people, he was already celebrated among his peers, evidently he became the President of the National Association of Rivers State Students (NURSS) where he excelled and warmed himself to the heart of RSUST students and beyond.

Amaechi started  his blossoming political career  as the secretary of  the now defunct National Republican Convention in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Between 1992 and 1994, he was Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Sir (Dr.) Peter Odili. As a young vibrant and energetic Man. Dr. Peter Odili saw in Amaechi raging political potentials. He didn’t only govern, guide and nurture him in the act of politicking and poli-tricking; he adopted him as a political son consequently facilitated his smooth ride into the Rivers State House of Assembly in 1999. This relationship between him and Odili translated into a harmonious and less rancorous relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in Rivers State, where Amaechi was the speaker.
There was love in the street of Diobu for the young and ever growing political enigma.  Chant of eulogies, expression of respect, songs of gratitude and rapturous applauds became the inheritance of the ‘would become governor’ of the treasure base of the nation, each time he hit the street of Port Harcourt.
He contested and won the People's Democratic Party primary for Rivers State Governor in 2007.  The infamous “K-leg” Mantra by Obasanjo kicks in and Amaechi’s name was supplanted with that of his Cousin, Sir Celestine Omehia probably to placate him and his then political godfather.

Trust Amaechi, he is not the man to relent, he is not the man to be suppressed beyond raising his hand and he brought to fore his experience in the land of ‘gbagagbugu’. He took the case to highest court in the land, the Supreme Court. He became Governor on 26 October 2007, after the incredible Supreme Court pronouncement that declared him the rightful candidate of the PDP and winner of the April 2007 Governorship election in Rivers State.
His administrations achievements permeated and imbued the state through construction of roads and bridges, building of modern schools, infrastructure development, modernization of transportation services among various other things and he was rewarded with a second term of four years in April 2011.
Just like hurricane, Amaechi blew to Abuja. Through Dr Bukola Saraki, Amaechi emerged the Nigerian Governors Forum Chairman amidst controversial circumstances. He took his wand of destruction to the presidency and the story now is that a new tenant is occupying the ASO VILLA.

There was a crack  in People Democratic Party’s umbrella and the leakage spiraled into Amaechi and the then super seven rebellious Governors namely Sule Lamido (Jigawa) Babangida Aliyu(Niger) Musa Kwankwaso (Kano),  Abdulfata Ahmed (Kwara) Wamako (Sokoto) Murtala Nyarko(Adamawa) Seidu Dakingari(Kebbi) coupled with PDP aggrieved members like Senator Bukola Saraki, and Former vice President Atiku Abubakar   forming a strong alliance of New PDP. Allegations of Bamanga Tukur’s plot to dismantle their influence was raised, contention and assertion of internal marginalization followed and the sixteen is greater than nineteen quagmire poured propanone into the already exacerbated conflagration and All Progressive Congress gained .

In 2014, ambition and reason clashed. Amaechi made his choice and the rest is history. He chose General Buhari, a perceived a military dictator ahead of his supposed Brother Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Amaechi’s reign literally came to an end as several attempts were made to uproot him out of government house. His rights were infringed on several occasions but like iroko tree, he stood strong.

At the tail end of his regime, he was a sure candidate of either Kirikiri or exile. Some of us expected him to elope out of the country before the Election Day but he was seen like political hurricane meandering the street of Port Harcourt striving to uproot structures built by towering and indefatigable Nyesom Wike.

Amaechi’s political stance may have dimed his popularity in the whole of south South and South East (SESS) but  his popularity soared like inferno  in the street of Kano, Lagos and beyond. To the Northerners and south westerners, he is the hero of democracy while to the people of SESS, he is a traitor.

Many believed Amaechi terribly plundered the resources of River state to champion the perceived northern course and this has created unprecedented atmosphere of animosity between Amaechi and the people of SESS. Weeks to the election, Amaechi was called names like, “MUGU”, Fool, traitor and all sorts for allegedly using the resources of his state to support a course that will never see the day light.

Election is over, sacrifices has been made. Amaechi will not be going to prison, Amaechi will not be going on exile but Amaechi doesn’t know which position he will be occupying in the new regime having earlier failed in his purported bill to become Buhari’s running mate.

People have argued that BUHARI’s success in the pool might not translate to Amaechi’s success in the regime having wasted glorious opportunity to take himself to the senate as most governors’ did, having failed to produce his successor, having failed to determine the other two Rivers State representative in the Senate as other Governor’s do and having failed to determine the six members of Rivers state in the House of Representative as he would have since it is the usual practice in Nigeria.

Just like Ministerial hopefuls like the Fasholas, the Fayemis, the Dambazaus, The Ezekwesilis etc Amaechi is believed to be in wilderness and oblivion as regards the position he will be occupying in the new regime.

In the street of “SESS”, most pundits have concluded that if Amaechi fails to get Minister of petroleum, Secretary General of the Federation or Chief of staff of the Federation, that he would have been shortchanged by PMB and Tinubu since unconfirmed report has it that he contributed over seventy percent of the funds used to finance Buhari’s presidency.

Only recently Buhari approved the cleaning up of Ogoni land which GEJ was unable to fix in six years. This certainly is dividend of democracy attracted by no other than Chibuike Amaechi. 

Could this bring Amaechi back to the heart of his people or would they remain unforgiving?

Peter Peton Ibezim

Public Affairs Analyst.