Chief Obasanjo who is on a two day visit to Rivers State said he took the decision to stop Governor Amaechi from contesting the Governorship election in the State base on the report presented to him pointing out that he prayed to seek God's consent and God guided him before he took the decision that stopped Amaechi from contesting the 2007 Governorship election.
"When you invited me to visit Rivers State to commission projects, many people advised me not to go because of security reasons. There is nothing dangerous as fear. At my age I should not be afraid of death. We should not politicize everything but to acknowledge development, and so, I have seen a bit. Governor Amaechi talked about K-leg . I believe that as a leader when I have something that required any action , I will take decision. A report came which indicated K-leg, I have to act. So I took the decision I took based on the report before me"
"But the Governor went to court to strengthen the K-leg. I found the judgment awkward because I wondered how one that did not contest an election should be declared a Governor. At the supreme court he won and that marks the end of the K-leg. The K-leg is strengthened, anybody that is not satisfied with that verdict should appeal to the supreme court"
"Again Some people tried to discourage me from coming to Rivers State. They said why should I honor the invitation of a man who cancelled the street named after me. But I am not bordered about people naming streets after me. I would prefer a situation where my name will be written in the minds of Nigerians and not people naming streets after me. So if I had turned down the invitation of the Governor I would have been so petty." he said.
The former President urged the Governor not to blame his predecessor for the K-leg saga but hold him responsible for his actions. According to him "We should embrace love in our politics. Whatever thing we do as a political leader is transit. If you use to cover the achievement of your predecessor, you will not have time to achieve your own. Rather you should consolidate on what you meet on ground. I phoned Rotimi not to take anything against his predecessor. I was fully in charge as of the time I took the decision I took and I should be held responsible".
He commended the Governor for his laudable achievements in infrastructures and urge him to do more for the people of the State.
Earlier in his opening remarks Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi said the State executive council decided to invite the Former President to the State as to showcase his achievements and prove his critics wrong that he has not achieve anything in the State.
"We wanted Baba to come to Rivers State and see what we have achieved. We want him to come to the State to see the things we have achieved. We intend to showcase to him what we have done and rectify the wrong and negative impression the K- leg saga created. One of our detractors said the Schools we built were located only in Port Harcourt. We want to use Baba's visit to prove our critics wrong" he said.
Former President Obasanjo in 2007 denied Amaechi PDP ticket to contest the Governorship election. The Governor had won the Party's ticket having beat the likes of Austin Opara the former deupty speaker of House of representatives to clinch the party's ticket.
But at the South South rally of PDP in 2006 where flags were presented to the Party's South South Governorship flag bearers, Obasanjo did give Amaechi his flag on the ground that his Governorship ticket had developed a K-leg. His cousin Celestine Omehia was later called up and presented as PDP candidate in the election. He won the election and was sworn in as Governor. Six months later the Governor reclaim his mandate via supreme court verdict.
Source: Daily Trust
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