President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan, has decried the failure of Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State to pay her a condolence visit since her mother died in an automobile accident several weeks ago.
In a statement released today in Abuja, Mrs. Jonathan all but declared Mr. Amaechi and his wife guilty of bad manners for refusing to express their sympathy over her mother’s death.
The First Lady’s statement was a reaction to reports that she had failed to recognize the presence of Rivers State Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, who was at the Port Harcourt International Airport to receive her when she visited the state on Sunday.
In a statement signed by the First Lady’s Director of Information, Ms. Ayo Adesugba, Mrs. Jonathan stated that, despite the refusal of the governor and his wife to pay her a condolence visit, she bore them no grudge.
Mrs. Jonathan’s press release noted that numerous personalities, including former presidents, traditional rulers and diplomats, had consoled her over the death of her mother, Mrs. Charity Oba. “However, [Governor Amaechi] and the wife from the State which the First Lady hails have not paid such a visit,” the statement added. Mrs. Jonathan, who is originally from Rivers State, has been identified as the principal sponsor of a political group that has precipitated a political crisis in the state. In recent months, the state has come close several times to being ungovernable. The crisis culminated in a physical brawl between five members of the state assembly loyal to Mrs. Jonathan and the majority who back the governor. The brawl was captured on tape and went viral after different versions of it were posted on youtube.
Speaking recently with a group of pastors who paid her a visit, Mrs. Jonathan stated that Governor Amaechi was stubborn, but added that he was a son to her. She denied wishing the governor political or physical harm, adding that prayers were needed to resolve the crisis in the state.
OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
PRESS RELEASE
Leave Me Out of Rivers State Politics – First Lady The attention of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has been drawn to reports carried in some sections of the media alleging that top officials of the Rivers government, including the Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru who came to receive the First Lady, were shielded from Dame Jonathan on her arrival at Port Harcourt International Airport yesterday, (18/08/2013). Some of the media reports went to the extent of alleging that Dame Jonathan “snubbed” the Deputy Governor.
It is important to set the record straight in order to prevent the public from being misled. The First Lady arrived in Rivers State yesterday for a private visit, to make arrangements for the burial of her late mother with members of her extended family.
Customarily, the wife of the State Governor receives the First Lady whenever she visits any state. That is why the wife of Bayelsa State Governor traveled from Yenagoa to receive the First Lady. Ordinarily, one would have expected the same complement from the wife of the Rivers State Governor.
It is instructive to note that since the death of Mrs. Charity Oba, the mother of the First Lady, several groups and individuals from across the country have come to condole the First Family at the State House, Abuja. They include Executive State Governors and their wives from all the political divides; Nigeria’s former Presidents and Heads of State and their wives, captains of industry, female Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Nigeria, other members of the diplomatic corps, royal fathers and traditional leaders – the list is too numerous to call. However, the Governor and the wife from the State which the First Lady hails have not paid such a visit.
It should be clear to all that for quite some time now, the First Lady has refrained from commenting on issues relating to the politics of Rivers State. Dame Patience does not want her name to be used to heat up the polity. We therefore urge that the name of the First Lady be left out of the politics in Rivers State.
The First Lady, like any Nigerian, is free to visit the state of her birth. Dame Jonathan bears no grudge towards anyone as she is an individual who continues to tirelessly advocate for peace and harmony in Nigeria. We therefore reiterate that the First Lady’s name be left out of the politics in the State.
Ayo Adesugba (Mrs.)
Director (Information)
19 August, 2013
Source: Sahara Reporters
Too bad of him.
Its not mandatory that the governor must be in airport to receive whoever that comes to his state, what’s the hocus-pocus about being absent since the first lady knew where she’s going.
We never knew this was why they tried to use the press to twist the truth from the masses against the first lady and her husband. I remember that some time last year a relative or aunt of the Gov Of Rivers State died and it became compulsory for all public office holders to attend or face sanctions. We are seeing the whole events better than the actors who are acting o! I keep asking this all the time ‘when are we going to hear the Gov of Rivers State preach this peace every one seem to be clamouring for? His fight with the President has no benefit to the entire state so he should stop causing us this unrest in the state. Imagine were he led Chidi Lloyd to while proving his loyalty to him during the Assembly fight. God wouldn’t let any liar go free be you any one.
What do mean by “twist “? You are as senseless as Patience Jonathan.
@me u are very foolish, you will always stay from afar to judge. When people come to realize the kind of person Amaechi is, they will know he is the problem with Rivers State.
I just home Nigerians are listening to what Mrs jonathan is saying!!that governors,minstersmformer heads of states and other dignitaries have paid condolence visit to her..condolence visit or not the old woman is dead and i guess she understands better ehy Governor Amechi nd his lovely wife refused to visit her..
1.that thier safety is not guarranteed as thier visit may lead to an attack on them
2.that the first lady is a lair by denying knowing nothing about the crises that has rocked River state .
3.that she wants to be relevant @ all cost by prominent people shows how power hungry Mrs Jonathan is.
I pray she would seat back and search her conscience to see how wicked she is in Human existence
I just hope Nigerians are listening to what Mrs jonathan is saying!!that governors,minstersmformer heads of states and other dignitaries have paid condolence visit to her..condolence visit or not the old woman is dead and i guess she understands better why Governor Amechi nd his lovely wife refused to visit her.
1.that thier safety is not guarranteed as thier visit may lead to an attack on them.
2.that the first lady is a lair by denying knowing nothing about the crises that has rocked River state,she is a terrible pretender.
3.that she wants to be relevant @ all cost by prominent people shows how power hungry Mrs Jonathan is.
I pray she would seat back and search her conscience to see how wicked she is in Human existence
This Patience and those with whom she surrounds herself Ms Ayo et al are bunch of fools. When has it become a constitutional obligation for anyone to pay her a visit, condolence or not?
What a fool? Every expression from her smacks of stupidity and very well proves that she ithat she is a dumbass.
And when has it also become a constitutional obligation for her to meet with Rivers State delegation on her arrival? @me you talk senselessly. We don’t talk just because we want to talk or we hate someone. In Africa tradition, even all over the world, it is a sense of responsibility to mourn with those who mourn, it is even in the bible. How would you feel that you lost someone and your neighbor even if he’s an enemy didn’t come to sympathize with you? We should not lose our sense of reasoning because we don’t like Jonathan, we should be objective and reason like human beings. This is not how politics should be played.
She needs 2 sack her aides cos dey hav not done dia jobs at all. I don’t see how the office of the 1st lady would release such an embarrassing statement. Wats d biggie if d Amaechis don’t pay u a visit. U tink dey r hippocrites like u? Smh
So u can tel d world dat dey came 2 beg u 4 food or wat!!! U r all amazing. Patience & her crew
No Mather the reason atta is worst fool ever live on earth to insult the First Lady.you see, when a person speaks , you can know his orientation .I have live in northern Nigeria most of my adult live , if the first lady of this nation is from north, who born you to publicly insult him.Remember what the First Lady of our most respected late president did to goodluck when the president died and nothing happened and Gov Amaechi and wife refused to condole the First Lady , too bad , don’t forget this is politics , no permanent friend or enemy, Attah called her Old woman , the mother of the First Lady , what an insult ,I don’ t know whether Attah has a mother
@ okolo l like ur respect for the first lady, but she is a liar like the husband and their aids the wife of amechie visited her and she sign the condolese register. what a liar this govt is.
How did you know she visited her? Judith hasn’t come out to rebuff her claim and you are here calling her and Jonathan a liar, you should check yourself very well.
The presidents wife was not voted into office like Amechi and she is gradually becomming the enermy within in her husbands political career. She is making too many mistakes.