By Danlami Nmodu
Nigeria’s First Lady ,Mrs Patience Jonathan has accused Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi of waging “guerrilla political warfare” against her.She has also called for an end to the warfare in a statement on Sunday.
Mrs Jonathan made this call in her reaction to Amaechi’s allegation that the First Lady has been fighting her because he refused give her Rivers State money .Amaechi said on Saturday that, “The quarrel between me and the wife of the President is because she said I should bring your money, Rivers people money and share with her”.
The governor’s comments had earlier on Sunday drawn an angry reaction from the Presidency which warned him to “ Stop Political Rascality And Blackmail”.
In addition to the statement from the Presidency, the Office of the First Lady has also issued its reply in which did not only say “Amaech lied” but also called for an end to “guerrilla political warfare.”
A statement by Mrs Jonathan’s office signed by Ayo Adewuyi ,her media assistant said the governor’s comment “was a deliberate attempt to malign Dame Patience Jonathan and score cheap political point.
She said ,“The Governor may have been beclouded by the political uncertainty surrounding him to make such a jaundiced and unsubstantiated allegation that the First Lady asked him to bring Rivers State money to share.
According to her media assistant,“This is a blatant lie designed to denigrate the person of Dame Patience Jonathan and rubbish the Presidency.This is to say the least most unfortunate.
The statement said further ,“It is crystal clear that Governor Amaechi is looking for cheap excuse for his failure in the governance of the state.We say without any iota of equivocation that the First Lady never made such request and could not have done so in any way either directly and indirectly.
“The First Lady as an indigene of Rivers State is more concerned with socio-economic development of the State and in a peaceful atmosphere .This guerilla political warfare must stop,” Mrs Jonathan said through her aide.
Read the full text of the First Lady’s Statement below:
AMAECHI LIED
Having waited patiently for Governor Amaechi to refute the statement credited to him about the First Lady, (with the assumption that he was misquoted), it has become clear that it was a deliberate attempt to malign Dame Patience Jonathan and score cheap political point.The Governor may have been beclouded by the political uncertainty surrounding him to make such a jaundiced and unsubstantiated allegation that the First Lady asked him to bring Rivers State money to share.This is a blatant lie designed to denigrate the person of Dame Patience Jonathan and rubbish the Presidency.This is to say the least most unfortunate.
It is crystal clear that Governor Amaechi is looking for cheap excuse for his failure in the governance of the state.We say without any iota of equivocation that the First Lady never made such request and could not have done so in any way either directly and indirectly.
The First Lady as an indigene of Rivers State is more concerned with socio-economic development of the State and in a peaceful atmosphere .This guerilla political warfare must stop.
Signed
Ayo Adewuyi,Media Assistant,Office of the First Lady FRN
October 26, 2014.
