No emperor will govern Rivers – Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that no emperor will govern the state as the people will not vote for any governorship candidate that presents himself as a highhanded leader.

Amaechi, who spoke at the freestyle parade of the Rivers State Cultural Festival known as CARNIRIV in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said, Rivers people would only vote for a statesman and an effective leader that understood their problems.



The state governor expressed the belief that the All Progressives Congress would win the forthcoming governorship election, adding that an APC governor in the state would not allow the annual CARNIRIV celebration to die.

He said, “It is only a leader that understands what the problems of the people are and has taken time to think and explore ways to find solution to their problems that can govern them well.”

“I believe that the All Progressives Congress will win the governorship election and the APC governor that will emerge from the election will not allow what happened to the previous CARNIRIV to happen.

“I believe that he (an APC governor) will sustain CARNIRIV. And the governor that will take over from my successor will also be APC, so our yearly Christmas Carnival parade will be sustained.”
“I am very confident that incoming APC governors will sustain CARNIRIV because I do not see APC producing emperors as governors. Listen, the APC must field that statesman, that man who knows and appreciates the pain of poverty; that man who understands that poverty has filled everywhere.”

“My honest advice to the people of Rivers State is to vote for a God-fearing man and not an emperor. It is my conviction that only a God-fearing man can wipe out poverty from the state. Only a man of strong character can bring development to the state and not an emperor. No emperor will govern Rivers State.”

In his remarks, the APC governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, pledged that as a state governor, he would promote tourism as a vehicle to empower the youths.

“I will sustain CARNIRIV to harness the vigour of our active youths. I believe that tourism can create wealth for the state and assist in liberating our people from poverty.”