I have no personal quarrel with Jonathan - Amaechi

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has said there is no personal quarrel between him and President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said the state government had misgivings about certain actions of the Federal Government towards the indigenes.

Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said the politics of self interest and greed had put Rivers at the end of national development, saying: “Our doors remain open to a negotiated settlement of the issues within the context of the constitutional relationship between the state and the Federal Government.”

The governor yesterday in Port Harcourt in his New Year broadcast, titled: “2014 – A Year of Promise,” said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not reciprocate his commitment and devotion, but the ruling party was used to undermine Rivers State and erode the peace and order, which he noted his government had worked hard to enthrone, making him to defect to the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said: “As you are aware, recent political developments in and around the state have attracted deserved national attention. Ours is a young democracy. Therefore, when politicians take positions informed by principles, which appear unusual, it becomes a test case for our emerging democratic culture. The recent developments in and around our state are not about me. They are about conflicting interpretations of the Rivers interest. You elected us into office to represent you. That sacred mandate means we have to protect your interests at all times.

“There is no personal quarrel between President Goodluck Jonathan, an illustrious son of the Niger Delta and myself. But the Rivers State government, which we have been privileged to lead, has some misgivings about certain actions of the Federal Government towards Rivers people. As your elected leader, we will be failing in our duties if we do not draw attention to such actions.

“First, we have expended huge resources in executing approved federal projects, such as the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road, without any refund. Second, there is hardly any reasonable federal project ongoing in the state. Work on the Port Harcourt International Airport, a major gateway to the eastern part of the country, has been abandoned.

“Third, the Federal Government has embarked on a reduction of our natural resource endowments. A number of oil wells and gas fields located in the state have been carved out and ceded to neighbouring states, while the resources due from these have also been paid to those states. Fourth, the major industrial and strategic security projects, which were originally slated for location in Rivers State, have been moved to neighbouring states, without even the courtesy of an explanation.

“Fifth, there is evidence of discrimination against Rivers State indigenes in key federal appointments. Of all the councils and boards of federal universities and tertiary institutions recently announced, there is hardly any Rivers indigene considered fit to head any of them.

“Sixth and most importantly, the Federal Government has encouraged the destabilisation of security in the state through tacit encouragement of the return of militants onto the streets of Port Harcourt and by encouraging the police to play a partisan role in the affairs of the state.

“Efforts to reach a peaceful resolution of our differences on these issues have not yielded results.”