Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja, HENRY CHUKWURAH and CHRIS IKWUNZE, in P/H on
A grateful and joyous Rotimi Amaechi yesterday took oath of office as the authentic governor of Rivers State with a promise to run an all-inclusive government. This is even as he announced some instant key appointments to help stabilise the new government.
A grateful and joyous Rotimi Amaechi yesterday took oath of office as the authentic governor of Rivers State with a promise to run an all-inclusive government. This is even as he announced some instant key appointments to help stabilise the new government.
The oath of office was administered on the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly by the State Chief Judge, Mr. Justice Iche Ndu.
Earlier in the day, when he visited President Umaru Yar'Adua in the Presidential Villa on his way to Port Harcourt to assume office, Amaechi had asked his people to expect a lot from him as the new governor of Rivers State.
Expressing gratitude to God over Thursday's victory at the Supreme Court, which he said, was in the interest of justice and fairness in the country's electoral process, he pledged to do whatever it would require to meet the expectations of the people of him.
'You will expect a lot, quite a lot. I tell people that the expectations are quite high, very very high, and we will have to struggle, very slowly and steadily to ensure that we meet the expectations of the people. But that is all I can tell you now. I have to go and verify what is on the ground, and then begin to see how I will marry it to my programmes. But certainly I will do my best," he stated.
Looking smart in his suit, the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly told the State House correspondents he was not surprised at the verdict of the apex court because he knew all along that he had a good case and also that the Supreme Court would do justice to it.
He, however, declared the legal battle, which he painstakingly fought to ensure justice in the electoral process as a fight between brothers, restating that there was no victor and no vanquished.
'No, nobody. No victor, no vanquished. When I was fighting this struggle for justice I said it was just a struggle for justice. It was just to make sure that the right thing was done by the country so that tomorrow, the poor man does not suffer. It was just to make sure that the poor man has the opportunity of righting wrongs through the judicial process," he noted.
Amaechi said there was no love lost between him and the sacked governor, Mr. Celestine Omehia who he described as his blood cousin, pointing out that both of them would at the end of the day meet at their family meeting to smooth whatever rough edges that might appear to be in the relationship.
'Don't forget that Mr. Celestine Omehia is my blood cousin. We are from the same family. We will meet at the family meeting. Nothing happens rather than the fact that we will meet at the family meeting. We are blood cousins," he further stated.
Asked what party he belongs to, he replied: Don't forget that the Supreme Court did say that that action was sub-judice and asked the Appeal Court to hear my matter. So I must assume that I am still a member of PDP.
On his mission at the Villa, the governor said: 'I came to see the President and to pledge my loyalty; he is the leader of the party, the leader of the country. I just came to say, look Mr. President, I am loyal. And I am going back to the state to take charge," he added.
Soon after taking the oath of office, Amaechi retained the incumbent Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru as Deputy Governor and appointed Barrister Magnus Abe the Secretary to the State government (SSG). Nyesom Wike becomes the new Chief of Staff while Mr. Ogbonna Nwuke was appointed Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
Governor Amaechi also announced the immediated dissolution of the Local Government Caretaker Committees, pointing out that he had actually challenged the appointment of the state electoral commissioner in court. He, however, promised that there won't be any imposition of persons during the local government election.
On the direction of his government, Amaechi said that the welfare of the citizenry would be the priority, but promised that nobody would be victimised for the events of the past months that had kept him out of the government house.