Friday, January 18, 2013

ORUBEBE, AMAECHI IN WAR OF WORDS

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has accused Rivers State Governor and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, of disrespecting President Goodluck Jonathan.

Orubebe claimed that Amaechi had gone on air to say that governors of the Niger Delta states were ready to take over the construction of the East-West Road.

Speaking with newsmen on Thursday night shortly after inspecting the East-West Road, the minister alleged that the state governor was arrogating powers that did not belong to him (Amaechi) to himself.

Also describing Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, as a slum, the minister urged Amaechi to busy himself with the task of developing the state.

 “If today, the governor of Akwa Ibom State is saying these things, I will sit down and reason with him, but not the governor of Rivers State. He is only talking; almost all the roads he (Amaechi) started are abandoned,” Orubebe noted.

However, Amaechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, described Orubebe’s accusation as ludicrous and bizarre, adding that at no time did the governor disrespect President Jonathan.

Iyofor said the minister’s allegations were an attempt to divert attention from his failure to deliver on the East-West Road.

He said, “Amaechi has tremendous respect for the office of the President of Nigeria and President Goodluck Jonathan.

“The office of the President of Nigeria is a big institution that deserves utmost respect and it would be grossly irresponsible for anyone to disrespect Mr. President, which unfortunately Minister Orubebe is doing by dragging the President’s name into his inability to deliver on the East-West Road.”

He recalled that the governor led the people of Rivers to deliver the highest vote by any state in the country for Jonathan during the last presidential election.
 http://www.punchng.com/news/orubebe-accuses-amaechi-of-disrespecting-jonathan/

No comments: