It could be understandable in some circumstances, for a sportsman to bear momentary grudge against his opponent after a resounding defeat, however it becomes irritating and treacherous to both the opponent and the spirit of the sport if the grudge becomes endless and could metamorphose into an apparent threat to the opponent's being. It is no news that since the defeat of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the Presidential Election in 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to blame Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for the unprecedented defeat of their candidate, who was a sitting President and have found it difficult to forgive him.
Consequently, in the last two years, the PDP has contrived all manner of narratives just to malign and disparage the person of Rotimi Amaechi and to lower his estimation before the Nigerian People, as his penalty or "recompense" for "causing" the defeat of the PDP in 2015.
Again, there is another attempt by the PDP to divert public attention from the shameful, aberrant and unquantifiable level of injury inflicted on Nigeria by the PDP. In space of 5 days the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made unprecedented breakthrough in its fight against corruption, especially the discovery of $38million, N23million and thousands of pounds in an apartment in Osborn Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos State. Although, the EFCC has not made any formal Statement about the ownership of the funds as investigations are still on going. However, there were initial speculations that Solomon Adeola, Senator representing Lagos West; Adamu Mu’azu, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and Esther Nnamdi-Obue, ex-Managing Director of Petroleum Products Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), were all linked to the money respectively, but they denied ownership.
Unfortunately, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, the self acclaimed spokesperson of the PDP is at it again. In his usual brigandry and diversionary tactics has through his Spokesman, Lere Olayinka, announced on Facebook and across the social media that the property in which the money was found belongs to Rotimi Amaechi. As usual, Femi Fani-Kayode another PDP's instrument of subversion followed suit. Obviously, this has been PDP's tactics and antics: to issue diversionary statements even before the authorities empowered in that regard does so. The motive usually is to create imaginary doubts in the mind of the public when eventually the EFCC discloses the name of the actual owner of the funds. They do so to create room for the manipulation of some gullible minds.
If I may ask Governor Fayose and Femi Fani-Kayode, is this the last Nigerians should expect from the Osborne Towers recovery? Should Nigerians also expect from you, like you colleague and friend in Rivers State, a parallel Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Osborn Towers Recovery or a court order restraining EFCC from further investigation of this crime? We need no more suspense, make haste with your decisions.
You will recall how shortly after some judges were arrested by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) on allegations of corruption, with millions of Naira and Dollars traced to them and in a near afterthought and without addressing the real issues of corrupt practices and the source of funds traced to the Judges, some of the Judge (loudened by PDP) accused Amaechi for their ordeal, as if to confirm a predetermined mindset that once Amaechi's name was introduced into their situation, it would automatically earn them public sympathy. Unfortunately, Nigerians expected them to say Amaechi bribed them with the money found on them, but no they didn't say that. Rather they said the DSS arrested them because Amaechi tried to bribe them and they refused. That was the best PDP could advise and offer Nigerians.
The PDP-Amaechi imbroglio and its resultant disparagement and calumny now sound like broken-record to Nigerians, because they know much more better. First, it was the narrative that Rotimi Amaechi looted all the furnitures in Rivers State Government House. That took centre stage for awhile until critical minds began to question the rationale for a 2-term Governor of "super rich", State (as they claim), to loot mere furnitures procured in 2002 or thereabout; was it that those designs of furniture could not be rebuilt or that it had the capacity of elongating the users life, especially in the face of newer and trendier versions. Of course, Rivers people were to realize regrettably that it was a plot for the new Governor to waste over N2billon for refurnishing of Government House.
Then came the claim of misappropriation of funds and the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry. Of course, the jamboree commenced and ended without any criminal liabilities on the part of Amaechi. The Commission found nothing illegal and untoward, yet Rivers State Government under Nyesom Ezenwo Wike issued a White Paper. Despite issuing a White Paper, he could not and perhaps is unwilling to produce before the Court of Appeal the Original Report of the Commission from where the White Paper derives.
May I, free of charge, advise the PDP and all those still working on the "disparagement and pull Amaechi down" Project that it amounts to tomfoolery, foolhardiness and asininity to continue to begrudge a person who has moved on for good and does not for a minute bother or burden himself with the load of your insidious and offensive propaganda of calumny and vendetta.
If you must know, the Amaechi that I know is more preoccupied with making a difference with his new responsibility. He has much to worry about: to prove to Nigerians that Government can be responsible and responsive, and that if Government said an airport would reopen after 6weeks then it must keep to the schedule; that Government must keep to timelines for the Railways construction, for the reforms in the Sea Ports and Waterways, etc. He is not and should not bother or waste his thoughts and time with innuendoes from PDP and it's elements like Fayose and FFK.
Have a pleasant Easter Holiday. Happy Good Friday.
From
Achi William-Wobodo
Lawyer and public Affairs Analyst.
