How will the Ameachi SAGA END? " Youths & Ex Militants Demand Gov Ameachi's resignation

Youths Protesting

GOVERNMENT activities in Port Harcourt were paralyzed on Wednesday as youths and ex-militant leaders stormed the River State Government House, demanding the resignation of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

The protesters also urged Amaechi to explain how he managed the N1.6tn that had accrued to the state since he became the governor.

Among the protesters were militant leaders, Chief Ateke Tom, Chief Solomon Ndigbara and Pastor Nature Kiegse.

Clad in white T-shirts with inscriptions, ‘Amaechi must go’, ‘Amaechi, Who owns the jet?’ and ‘Amaechi, you constructed one kilometre road with N1.5bn’, the protesters chanted war songs while security operatives watched them in bewilderment.

Since April, the state has been witnessing protests either in support or against the Amaechi administration.

But Wednesday's protest, which was embarked upon by youths under the auspices of the Rivers People Assembly, caused a gridlock that lasted for over five hours.

One of the leaders of the Assembly, Mr. Joshua Ihunwo, said they were protesting to seek clarification of the two aircraft purchased by the former Governor Peter Odili’s administration.

Ihunwo said they wanted to know how the revenue received by the state since 2007 had been spent and why a kilometre of road was constructed at N1bn.

“What is happening today is just like the Arab Spring. We will occupy Port Harcourt until Amaechi leaves office. We want an explanation from him on how he managed the N1.6tn that came to the state as revenue since he became governor.

“This is a 10,000-man march and youths here want the governor to tell them why the construction of a kilometre road in Rivers cost N1bn,” Ihunwo added.

Ndigbara, who expressed reservation about the Amaechi-led administration, said it was time youths in the state declared the governor wanted.

But in a telephone interview with our correspondent, the state commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said the government would not join issues with people perceived to be “miscreants”.

Semenitari maintained that though the state government had been transparent in its dealing with the people, the majority of those in the protest were people without any locus standi to speak on such issues.

She said, “These are people that should not be on the streets based on their antecedents. It is unfortunate that this set of people now attend political party meetings.

“Though we do not think the state government should join issues with these protesters, it is necessary to say the state government is transparent in its dealings with Rivers people.”