Nigeria: Amaechi, PDP Lock Horns On Kattey's Kidnap

Insecurity in Rivers: Amaechi, PDP Lock Horns On Kattey's Kidnap

The September 6, abduction of Archbishop Ignatius Kattey of the Anglican Communion, by unknown gunmen along the deplorable East-West Highway at the Eleme axis of Port Harcourt, has pitched Governor Chibuike Amaechi, against the polarized Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

For Amaechi, the high profile kidnapping, is a clear case of failure of security in Rivers State, the oil and gas capital of Nigeria. The governor believes that the alleged collapse of security in the state is largely due to the inability of the police under Mbu Joseph Mbu, a Police Commissioner, to rise to the security challenges in the troubled state.

But a chieftain of the PDP and former Information Commissioner in the state, Emma Okah, says Governor Amaechi is playing politics with the violent abduction of the Anglican cleric.

He is accusing the Amaechi administration of allegedly masterminding the kidnap of Kattey and called on them to pursue his freedom and stop playing politics with the sad event.

"Rivers State Government will be held accountable if anything happens to Archbishop Kattey because Governor Amaechi had earlier said that the Arch Bishop was not supporting him in the battle with some politicians in the state. At the 60th birthday thanksgiving church service of OCJ Okocha, SAN, in June 2013, Amaechi had warned him to either support him (Amaechi) or stay with the opposition group and I am not aware that the Archbishop has changed his anti partisan posture to support Amaechi", the ex-commissioner said.

Okah, who is also a lawyer, made these potentially dangerous allegations in an online statement to AkanimoReports on Monday.

Apparently unshaken, the Amaechi administration insisted that the kidnap of the Anglican cleric means that the state was sliding to anarchy due to failure of security.

Firing back, Okah said, the administration "is mischievous, wicked and intended to ridicule and discredit the Nigeria Police and opposing political leaders in the state and paint a picture of anarchy where Amaechi, has failed to discharge his duties as governor".

According to him, "kidnap for ransom in Rivers and other parts of the country has never stopped since 2006, and Amaechi knows that unemployment and rush for quick wealth instead of failure of security is the major cause of this.

The Kidnap of Kattey is one of the many high profile kidnap cases in Nigeria and every responsible citizen of this country must feel concerned and play a role including prayers, to seek his early release from captivity.

"It is therefore, wicked for Amaechi to use this ugly kidnap of an aged servant of God to seek political mileage, trade blames and play politics instead of getting the man out first."

Continuing, he argued, "if the state is sliding to anarchy as claimed by the administration, then Amaechi is to be held fully responsible and he has no business remaining in office as governor. He should tow the path of honour and quit. Rivers State is now like a ship without compass, no focus, no direction.

"If he cannot resign, Amaechi should sit down and tackle the problems of the people of the state. He cannot continue to accumulate debts for the incoming administration while wasting state resources in attracting and fighting personal and political wars that add no value to the development of the state or the lives of his people."

ENDS

© Scoop Media