Ministerial list: Wike, Amaechi take battle to Senate

Gov’s loyalists plot against Amaechi’s confirmation
*.It’s mere fabrication… We won’t respond to speculations –Wike
ByAdetutu Folasade-Koyi
THEbitter feud between governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi may shift to the Senate as from tomorrow.
The fight will be over how to stop Amaechi’s screening and confirma­tion as minister repre­senting Rivers State in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.
Last Wednesday, the president forwarded the first batch of ministerial nominees to Senate Presi­dent, Bukola Saraki, who is expected to unveil the list to Senators in plenary tomorrow.
Senate Majority Leader Ali Ndume told newsmen at the weekend that the screening and confirma­tion of ministerial nomi­nees will start on Wednes­day.
Reports, however, indi­cated at the weekend that Wike and his loyalists in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have lined up against Amaechi even be­fore he steps foot into the chamber.
Amaechi’s kinsmen in Rivers State chapter of the APC had also vowed to re­sist any move to scuttle his clearance by the Senate.
A source in the PDP caucus indicated at the weekend how some party stalwarts met with PDP Senators to “pay back Amaechi in his own coin” for “fighting his own brother and siding with an outsider” and also, “de­fecting from the party to the APC.”
The plot may also effect the ministerial nominee from Ekiti State, it was gathered. “We are already mobilising our members in Rivers and Ekiti states to reject the nominees ap­pointed by the President.”
Former Ekiti State gov­ernor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi is the state nominee.
On the heels of the plot, the APC in Rivers has also threatened “to march on Abuja because of Amae­chi. We have informa­tion about the plot against Amaechi. We are ready. We will mobilise and let the PDP know that we have supporters to match their strength.”
When contacted, APC chairman in the state, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya admitted he heard the ru­mours and has told mem­bers to be prepared.
“The APC in Rivers has borne with equanimity all the numerous attacks by the PDP and its leadership against our leader and for­mer governor Chibuike Amaechi.
“It is sad, indeed, as the former governor has done nothing to deserve such evil behaviour. We have decided as a party that we will no longer keep silent. We will match the PDP ac­tion for action and word for word.”
Wike, however, dis­missed the reports as “mere fabrication and speculation.”
The governor’s media aide, Simeon Nwakudu toldDaily Sunit was un­fortunate that some people could just “sit somewhere and concoct fabrications.
“In the case of APC, it’s a political party that’s been roundly rejected by the people of Rivers.
“The party is peopled by men who lack probity, by extremely corrupt persons as exemplified by Amae­chi, who shunned the Commission of Enquiry set up by the state govern­ment.”
There was also reports that some states would soon forward petitions to the Senate concerning their ministerial nomi­nees.
In Kaduna State, a group, Centrum Initiative for Development and Fun­damental Human Rights Initiative has appealed to the three Senators from the state to intervene, as there were doubts about the ethnicity of the state’s ministerial nominee.
The nominee, Amina Mohammed, was said to be from Gombe State.
There are also plans to stop Mr. Adebayo Shittu, the ministerial nominee from Oyo State