Amaechi Replies Jonathan: You Can’t Threaten Me; I'm Elected Just Like You

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has said that President Goodluck Jonathan can’t threaten him as he is a fellow elected official like the President.

This is in reaction to a terse statement by the President signed by his Senior Special assistant on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati. Jonathan in the statement had warned Governor Rotimi Amaechi, telling him to stop “Political Rascality and Blackmail.”

But the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Ibim Semenitari said Governor Amaechi is an elected official and cannot be threatened by the president.

Semenitari also faulted Abati for failing to get his facts right before publishing the statement despite his wealth of experience. She added that Amaechi never mentioned the name of the President nor his wife during his speech at the rally.

Semenitari said, “I would want to say that the Presidential Spokesman should be careful for the kind of threats he issues to an elected Governor. He should remember that the President is not a prefect of the governor. He was elected as President just as the Governor was elected as a governor, and Nigeria is a federation.

“And please, Abati should know his limits and need not attempt to cross his boundaries...

"It is a bit strange to hear the kind of comments coming out of the Presidency and this showed that that statement was already prepared before governor Amaechi spoke.

“At no point in his speech did Governor Amaechi make any references. His wife was not even discussed because she is not an official of government.

“I do not understand where or how Mr. Abati got his story, so we just take it that this is one of those clear indications of rascality with the Presidency trying to call a dog a bad name and hang it”.