Amaechi and Campaign against South-South

The Biblical story of Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, who betrayed the Lord, is intended to teach the lesson of human moral frailties. Even though Judas showed remorse by returning the 30 pieces of silver which he received from the chief priests and elders, the name has gone down in history as a metaphor for treachery.
What made the case of Judas special was that it was the betrayal of a person with whom he had been in close relationship. Like a family, Jesus and the 12 disciples lived, travelled and preached the gospel.
Together. That, in fact, was the source of guilt that drove Judas to commit suicide in the most despicable manner, soon after realising the magnitude of what he had done.
When, the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently announced the appointment of the Rivers State Governor, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, I could not resist the conclusion that he was on the path of Judas Iscariot. Well, he has been on it for quite some time now!
First and foremost, it is important to properly situate the issue of Amaechi to avoid misconception. It is true that Amaechi has, for quite some time, been waging a personal war against President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Dame Patience Jonathan. As far as I am concerned, whether the President is involved or not, this is a confrontation between individuals and I am sure Jonathan and his wife can defend themselves.
The betrayal I have in mind is against the people of the Niger Delta Region or South-South geo-political zone. After decades of suffering political domination in post-independence Nigeria, Providence thrust on the zone the rare opportunity of producing the President in the person of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. First, he became Acting President in 2010; contested the presidential election of 2011 and assumed office as President.
These developments, which all people of the region are proud of, have not pleased some of the President’s brothers and sisters, including Amaechi.
Ever before the crisis that engulfed the Nigerian Governors Forum in August, 2013, Amaechi had betrayed the trust reposed in him by the people of Rivers State. Unknown to his own people, Amaechi had the ambition of becoming Vice-President of Nigeria under a Northern President. In pursuit of this ambition, he used the Governors Forum to launch series of attacks on President Jonathan and his family.
Amaechi also betrayed his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through which he gained power; he betrayed his political allies and all those who staked everything they had to get him into office. The peak of his betrayal was when he defected from PDP to APC, hoping he would be chosen as the Vice-Presidential candidate. As it turned out, that hope was dashed and he was compensated with the Director-General of Buhari’s Campaign Organisation.
A governor turned DG? Is there anyone to advise Amaechi? When Judas realised the consequences of betrayal, he was not only filled with remorse, he returned the money and committed suicide. We may not be able to tell exactly what’s happening in Amaechi’s mind; but obviously he deserves pity. Now, that he has been goaded into accepting to play the hatchet man, President Jonathan will certainly be his main target of attack.
Who says the APC leadership is not ingenious? Between now and February 14, 2015, Amaechi must tell the whole world why Jonathan is not fit to continue as President;
why someone from the Niger Delta does not deserve to occupy the number one position. Amaechi now has the opportunity of telling the world that nobody, from the over 31 million people of the more than 40 ethnic nationalities, including Ibibio, Urhobo, Bini, Efik, Ijaw, Oron, Igbo, Ikwerre, Kalabari, Isoko, Itsekiri and Anang, none is capable of being President of this country.
The greatest act of betrayal is against the people of Rivers State whose resources are being squandered in promoting the political aspirations of outsiders. It is no longer a secret that the reason Amaechi was appointed campaign director is for him to deploy the resources of the state for Buhari’s cause.
The question is, to what end is Amaechi doing all this? He needs to be reminded that even if he succeeds, he would have to rule over the very people whose collective integrity he is destroying. He knows very well how rare it is in the Christian world to find a family bearing the name of Judas. So, he must be careful not to do anything that would bring the same infamy to him. Someone should tell Amaechi that it is getting too late!

*this was published in the Daily Times newspaper dated Monday, December 29, 2014