Whichever way it turns out, the public spat between Niger Delta Minister Elder Godsday Orubebe and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who also doubles as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) is most embarrassing to their public image; the ruling PDP party, the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and the country as a whole. The details of the grouse are in the public domain and need no re-telling, not the least for the reason that the whole episode has been so unedifying.
There was no love lost between the two men after Orubebe accused Amaechi during a public function of disrespecting the office and person of the President; a behavior he stressed would no longer be tolerated. In a stinking rebuke, Amaechi in a series of extensive and rambling rejoinders – retorted that Orubebe has failed the Niger Delta region and should honorably resign as Minister. Amaechi told a town hall meeting with Rivers State kin and kith in Houston, Texas, USA that the reason for the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry was to develop the region, but Orubebe, as Niger Delta Minister has failed woefully.
As the name-calling degenerated into vituperative aspersions and banal attacks, Orubebe accused Amaechi of developing a flamboyant imaginary self-concept. “Today, he (Amaechi) sees himself as the governor of governors and feels that he is even bigger than the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” Orubebe was piqued that Amaechi suggested that the federal government had failed in its responsibility and should hand over construction of the East-West road to the South-South governors.
Visibly angry at the suggestion, Orubebe told Amaechi to mind the business of governing Rivers whose capital city, Port Harcourt, has degenerated since he assumed office. “Port Harcourt used to be the Garden City of this country. Today, Port Harcourt is a slum; you cannot move in Port Harcourt. “I think he should concern himself with utilizing the resources there to develop Rivers and the people of Rivers.”
Amaechi fired back accusing Orubebe of trying to divert attention from his own gross ineptitude and failure to deliver on the deplorable East-West road as Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs. “We did a 41-km road to Opobo under water, yet the East-West Road on land he cannot complete.” Amaechi told the Houston meeting that Orubebe’s ranting was a strategy to distract the Niger Delta people and hide his failures. “I have gone through the region and no presence of his ministry is felt anywhere in the area of meaningful or people oriented projects...I challenge him to a debate for every one project Orubebe can show me that he has done in the Niger Delta region. I will show him 10 of such projects in Rivers State.
“The office of the President of Nigeria is a big institution that deserves utmost respect and it would be grossly irresponsible for anyone to disrespect the President, which unfortunately Orubebe is doing by dragging the President’s name into his inability to deliver on the East-West road,” Amaechi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, noted; accusing Orubebe of conveniently forgetting that as the governor of Rivers State, Amaechi led Rivers people to overwhelming vote for and gave Jonathan the highest votes by any state in the country at the last presidential elections.
That two senior public officials could engage into such unsavory exchanges should not be taken on its face value, as it raises eyebrows within and outside Nigeria, with possible adverse consequences for Nigeria’s image as a country with deeply dysfunctional institutions where bizarre things can happen. It is doubtful that anyone in the PDP or even the President himself has thought it wise to call the two errant officials to order. Against the backdrop of the 2015 presidential elections, it may seem fashionable and politically correct in these times, to get emotionally worked up in matters of public policy, but common sense and good judgment must be allowed prevail.
The controversy surrounding the quarrel between the two men is unacceptable and should not have arisen in the first place if due regard was given to self-control and restraint by the parties involved. The more fundamental matters arising from this incident relate firstly to the leadership question. That a state governor could publicly criticize a cabinet minister to the extent of calling for his resignation speaks volumes about the high level of unserious attitude public officials bring to government, and the levity with which they treat the people. Amaechi might have some bragging rights based on his record as governor of Rivers State, compared to the insipid performance of the Jonathan government of which the Niger Delta Minister, Orubebe is part.
The government’s lackluster attitude towards the concession contract for the repair and reconstruction of the East-West road is an overdue action, to restore the hope and aspiration of many Nigerians for a smooth passage in and out of the cities. The critical position of the 338 km road which starts from Warri, Delta State and terminates at Oron in Akwa Ibom State as perhaps the busiest of all highways and the most vital link between the Niger Delta and the rest of Nigeria cannot be overstressed. The road has accounted for one of the most ghastly fuel tanker tragedies which killed over 100 people who trooped out to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker at Okogbe in Ahoada West Local Council of Rivers State.
The thought that government appears helpless, while the people also seemingly succumbed to an innate obsession for free petrol is a sad notice that such explosion can happen again. It is easy to blame poverty of the masses for the catastrophes, but the truth is that there is a collapse of the social system that has placed the people at the receiving end of official mismanagement and outright mis-governance. The resulting anomie will seem to be inevitable. Therefore, rather than blame poverty for the mass deaths, the root of the poverty is bad governance, and this must be redressed. It is important as well to identify and sanction individuals and groups responsible for needless human carnage. This brings us to the crux of the matter: why has it been so difficult for the East-West road to be completed?
Orubebe has disclosed that the federal government needs over N200 billion to complete the road by December 2014, even as critics said this was not realistic, given the slow pace of work by contractors. It is evident that the construction firm has clearly failed to demonstrate the required competence in handling a road of such significance. The more challenging task now is for government to ensure that a new contractor is awarded the concession.
This blight on the toga of Nigeria is indeed lamentable, signposting as it does; the institutionalization of corruption and under-achievement that continues to confound the Jonathan administration. The government should spare the nation another drain-pipe. It should find a more cost-effective way of completing the East-West road at a reasonable cost that is not deliberately doctored to suit entrenched political interests. Fundamentally, this road is another pointer to the much vilified but unaddressed corruption in the country; and it is unfortunate that Nigerian public officials keep featuring in the news for all the wrong reasons.
As the Minister directly in charge of the development of the Niger Delta, the problems highlighted by Amaechi are Orubebe’s direct responsibility. Orubebe is therefore not completely blameless. But, having regards to his status as Rivers State Governor and NGF chairman, Amaechi ought to have direct access to President Jonathan. The fact that he chose to go public with his criticisms of Orubebe; an appointee of the President to the extent of denigrating him in front of a foreign audience in the USA reduces the propriety of his methods and smacks of disrespect. More significantly, Amaechi should have privately taken his complains to Jonathan instead of going public like an excited kindergarten.
The conspicuous silence of the presidency since the uproar broke out in the media is damning. President Jonathan seems to amply enjoy the ceremonial aspects of his job. He must be careful not to lose sight of the problem-solving aspects of his office for which Nigerians voted for him. He has acknowledged the many shortcomings of his administration and promised to do something about it. May we suggest that his starting point should be to call Orubebe and Amaechi to order.
Huhuonline.com Editorial
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