RETROSPECT: Amaechi's Region Vs Sekibo's District.

RETROSPECT: Amaechi's Region Vs Sekibo's District By Solomon Okocha One of the reasons that spurred me into the political lane is the obvious dearth of principle and focus amongst those who call themselves our leaders. Growing up as a young man in Rivers State, I witnessed a situation where the political elites shielded themselves from the very people whom they had avowed to serve. Not until the likes of the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, came on board, the state government and her trappings, were the exclusive reserve of premature bourgeoisies. The Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, stood still like a sacred citadel, until Amaechi came and demystified everything; he practically opened up the gates of government to anybody and everybody. Few months after Amaechi gracefully bowed out of office, it seems that to me that we have returned to ground zero. Unfortunately, the beautiful legacies which Amaechi left behind, have been abandoned for controversial Quasi-judicial Panel of Inquiry, dramatisation of pot hole filling and mini project completion, celebration of 100 days of nothing, rising refuse menace, communal crisis, heightened rate of armed robbery, kidnapping, and all manner of anti developmental forces. The present government in Rivers State is either bankrupt of well articulated plans, or it has been overwhelmed by the ever dynamic workings of governance. Senator George Sekibo represents the people who reside in this part of Rivers State, which is now almost under siege by men of the underworld. I am yet to see or hear any bright postulation from Senator Sekibo, that seeks to put an end to the rising state of insecurity in Rivers East Senatorial District. The Senator seems to be more preoccupied with cheap political power play, than the precarious nature of things in his home state. The Okirika born Senator is too engrossed in what many now call 'Amaechiphobia',- the fear of Amaechi's political rise is now a case study in Nigeria. Yesterday, immediately after Senate President Bukola Saraki presented the list of President Buhari's ministerial nominees, Senator Sekibo, in a sadistic demeanour and amidst high-pitched discordant tunes from his fellow Senators, unexpectedly and hastily submitted a petition which he claimed was from his constituents. Today, the same Senator George Sekibo, in a stark deviation from the norms of the house, brought up the same matter during planery, insisting that the petition must be read on the floor of the Senate and adopted immediately. But unfortunately for him, majority of the Senators ferociously attacked the unpopular motion and thunderously shouted him down. I cannot fathom how a Senator who has been in the Senate for over eight years, will knowingly attempt a desecration of the Senate rules of engagement, simply because of shameful political vendetta. This line of politicking appears to be Senator Sekibo's main preoccupation at the moment. The Senator from Rivers State is sadly now the conveyor of Wike, one Livingstone Wechie, and the purported Integrity Group's incongruous petition. Like we all know, the so called Integrity Group is the political propaganda front of Governor Nyesom Wike. The only leader and only member of the infamous political agenda group, Livingstone Wechie, is a known ally of Governor Wike, who also played a key role in Nyesom Ezenwo Campaign Organisation (NEW), and he is also a member of the PDP Media and Publicity Committee. The said petition is just the final act of the "Pull down Amaechi" drama. With Amaechi's name finally popping up on the ministerial list, paid political titans are fighting too hard to get substance from the millions of Naira sunk into AIT and her likes, all in order to defame the person of Amaechi and get his name off the list. One thing that these carnal people forget is that there is a higher force that controls the affairs of men. In the order of the universe, certain things must be and vise versa. If Amaechi had been destined to be a Minister of the Federal Republic in this life, then I make bold to say that no man born of a woman can stop his eventual emergence as that which was signed, sealed, and delivered. I believe that Senator Sekibo, by now, should be discerning enough to know that since after Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi led the APC to victory as the Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO), he automatically became the political leader of the entire South South Region of Nigeria; a position which has earned him the "Lion of Niger Delta" title. Lest the Senator forgets, the people of Rivers East Senatorial District are in dire need of any tiniest form of commitment in terms of security, and George Sekibo, as a Senator representing this area at the moment, is under obligation to oversee security and its likes. And finally, in the words of Judas the Galilean, while addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees on behalf of the Apostles in the Bible: "Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Solomon Okocha writes from Abuja, Nigeria. solomon.okocha@gmail.com @Okocha_info