Former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said the judgment of the Supreme Court has straightened the ‘K-leg’ of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.
Obasanjo alluded to a statement he made in December 2006, at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, which deprived Amaechi the opportunity of contesting as the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2007 general elections.
The same ‘k-leg’ saga threw up Celestine Omehia, who later won the election on the platform of PDP. Omehia lost the seat to Amaechi after six months in office, through a Supreme Court judgment.
The former president had said when he was handing over the party’s flag to other governorship candidates, that Amaechi’s candidature had ‘k-leg.’
Speaking on Monday at the Nne Kurubo Model Secondary School, Ebubu, Eleme, one of the Model Secondary Schools built by Amaechi, Obasanjo said that he made the statement, based on security report that incriminated Amaechi.
He said: “I believe as a leader, when I have something that requires action, that action must be taken; otherwise, I’m not a worthy leader.
“There was a report incriminating him, and I said, there is a k-leg, and as a result of the k-leg, what was, could not continue to be.”
Obasanjo, who is on a two-day visit to the state, for official commissioning of many projects executed by Amaechi’s administration, noted that Amaechi did what was required in a democratic dispensation, by going to court.
“He went to court to straighten the k-leg. I’m one of those, who, when he (Amaechi) got the judgment or verdict, found it awkward. I did not voice it out publicly, but I found it awkward.
“Awkward in the sense that, how can a man who has not contested an election, a man who has not been voted for, be declared the governor, without being voted for?
“But Amaechi won at the Supreme Court level. As far as I’m concerned, that has ended the k-leg. If anybody is not satisfied at that, he has to wait for the judgment of the Supreme Being,” he said.
So, the k-leg has been straightened. Not only that, after his first tenure, he contested and won overwhelmingly, landslide victory. Then, what k-leg are you talking about?” he said.
While saying that he was in the state to see development and to acknowledge development, Obasanjo averred amid thunderous applause: “I’m here to see development, to acknowledge development, and so far, I have seen a bit. We still have time to see more. And whatever I see… when I earmark, I eye-mark, and I mouth-mark. So far, I have earmarked, I have eye-marked and I’m trying now to mouth-mark.”
The former President disclosed how there was pressure on him not to honour Amaechi’s invitation because of security and the fact that, the governor cancelled a Road named after him, after the k-leg saga.
Obasanjo said he did not want to do things that would make people to name roads after him, but his name has been written in the hearts of Nigerians, adding that Amaechi should not blame his predecessor, Dr. Peter Odili, for the k-leg saga.
According to him, he (Obasanjo) was solely responsible. “I’m overall in charge, I fast and pray before I take decision.”
Earlier in his speech, Governor Amaechi thanked the former president for honouring his invitation. He said he decided to invite Obasanjo, because of his down-to-earth nature.
He said Nne Kurubo Model Secondary School was among the 27 of such schools being constructed in the state. According to him, seven had already been completed, stating that the school was computerized, with each student having a laptop, school uniforms, sandals, free of charge. He said the students in the school, which has 25 classrooms, also enjoy free education, while two students share a room in the boarding facilities of the school.
Some of the projects commissioned by the former President yesterday included, G.U. Ake Road, Oporo Road, Ken Saro-Wiwa Road, Model Primary Health Centre, Akpajo, Eleme, Songhai Farms, Bunu, Tai, Afam Power Station, among others.
REF http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/scourt-straightens-amaechis-k-leg-obasanjo/
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