Soldiers threatened to shoot me, says Amaechi: Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was shocked yesterday when soldiers prevented him from attending the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Ekiti State. His party’s candidate, Governor Kayode Fayemi, is seeking re-election in tomorrow’s poll. Amaechi arrived at the airport in Akure, the neighbouring Ondo State capital, and headed for Ado-Ekiti, but soldiers stopped his convoy at the Ondo/Ekiti states boundary. Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, also billed for the rally, was not allowed to leave the Benin Airport. The chopper that would have taken him was prevented from flying on “orders from above”. Amaechi, in an sms during his encounter with the soldiers wrote: “Waylaid by soldiers in Akure/Ekiti road. Threatening to shoot me, chased me to a village called Olorunsogo Ilado in Ondo State. They have allowed the Minister of State for Defence (Musiliu Obanikoro) and the Minister of Police Affairs (Jelili Adesiyan) to go through.” In a tweet, Amaechi said: “Again, the plane that brought me to Akure has been grounded at the Akure Airport. I can’t go to Ekiti and can’t leave Akure. There is God ooo.” The Rivers governor was stopped at Iju, a boundary town in Ondo State. The soldiers also did not permit him to return to Akure when he told them of his intention to go back. Amaechi returned to Lagos by road after about five hours delay at the spot as the security operatives insisted they had “orders from above” to ensure he did not enter Ekiti. The soldiers rebuffed entreaties from some APC chieftains who pleaded with the soldiers to allow the governor into the state to attend the rally, which is within the provision of the Electoral Law. His aircraft was grounded at the Akure Airport, following a “fresh order” barring any plane from landing and taking off from the airport. APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC Governors’ Forum Chairman and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, were prevented from flying out of the airport after the rally. They travelled to Lagos by road. In a statement, the Rivers State Government said it was “concerned about the safety of Governor Amaechi who is right now being held hostage commando-style by soldiers and federal government security agents in Olorunsogo Ilado, Ondo State.”Governor Amaechi, as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and as an APC governor and chieftain, left Port Harcourt this morning for Ekiti State where he was to join his brother governor in his last mega rally before the elections. “Governor Amaechi was ambushed and refused entry into Ekiti by military personnel acting on orders from above. He made to turn back and return to Akure where his charttered aircraft was parked but was chased and surrounded by armed soldiers and security personnel in Ondo State. According to the captain, who led the operation, he had orders not to allow the governor entry or exit. “The chattered aircraft that conveyed the governor has been grounded while the minsters of Defence, Police Affairs and Minister of State for Defence have landed at the Akure airport. “The Rivers State government is especially worried that the Federal Government and President Jonathan have singled out Governor Amaechi for harassment and attack. “While we hold the person and office of the President in utmost regard, we believe that it is unacceptable that the Presidency would disrespect the person and office of an elected governor of a federating unit and consistently hound him. The nation
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 06:12:39 +0000
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