Justice Must be Done Before I Reconcile with Wike - Amaechi

Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has said that until it was declared that injustice was done in the just concluded election, he will not settle his disagreements with the state governor-elect, Barr. Nyesom Wike.

This was in reply to the plea made by the Catholic Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese, Most Rev. Camillus Etokudor during a thanksgiving service to mark Amaechi’s 50th birthday anniversary on Wednesday.

Etokudor had congratulated Wike, on his electoral victory and appealed to the governor to settle his political differences with the governor-elect in the interest of the people of the state.

Amaechi said: “My Lordship talked about forgiveness. In the Catholic Church you don’t oppose the views of your bishop. His words represent an order. If you oppose him you may be barred from taking Holy Communion. You are not a true Catholic if you don’t receive the Holy Communion. But Your Lordship, the same Catholic doctrine also states that justice comes before forgiveness.

“All those that were killed during the last general election must get justice. Their families must get justice. Our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, must get justice first at the election tribunal. Our mandate must be retrieved at the tribunal.

“I am surprised that My Lordship congratulated Nyesom Wike here today. I am using this opportunity to call on the Church to join the APC in praying to God so that we can reclaim our mandate. Reclaiming our mandate at the petition election tribunal will represent a measure of justice. We must seek justice before reconciliation.

“I was shocked by some of the people that betrayed me. At the appropriate time, God will forgive them. Let me use this opportunity to thank members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for their support all though the crisis. I did not give them money to stand by me. I commend them for their sacrifice”.

The governor also commissioned the multi-million naira ultra-modern secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Port Harcourt, with a call on the media to support the APC in its quest to recover its stolen mandates through the tribunal.