Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed apprehension over the alarming increase at which politicians are stockpiling unlicensed arms in preparedness for the 2015 general elections.

Amaechi, who spoke on Wednesday at the Special Crossover Service organised by one of the churches in the state, the Abundant Life Evangel Mission (ALEM) in Port Harcourt, stated that “the number of arms being currently acquired and stockpiled by politicians is awesome”.

“The number of arms entering Nigeria today is unmatched at any time in our history. The number of illegal arms in the country is worrisome, indeed. As a leader, I am worried.

“You will be shocked at the rate politicians are stockpiling arms against 2015. I would have thought that politics should be about the most popular candidate based on his or her programmes or manifesto,” the Governor said.

Amaechi also accused the government of President Goodluck Jonathan of not doing enough to tackle the issue of corruption in the country with zest, noting that “it may surprise you to know that the scale of corruption in Nigeria today has never happened before.

“Public officers who are supposed to properly manage and protect the money that belongs to all of us are busy stealing our money with impunity because they feel that nothing can be done to them.

“On the negative dimension of corruption that has eaten deep into the fabric of our dear country, I will ask you to do two things: the first one is to pray to God to protect you from all evils. Also ask God in your prayers to teach us who are your leaders a lesson so as to humble us and give us the wisdom to serve you better.

“The second one is to protest. Go on to the streets and protest. Go on to the streets and march against bad government.

“If my government is bad, please don’t hesitate to march against my government. Haven elected us into office it is now our duty and responsibility to serve you in accordance with the laws of the country.”

Amaechi, who arrived at the Special Crossover Service at 11.04 a.m. with his wife, Judith, and his youngest son, also appealed to the congregation to “pray to God to save Nigerians from the politics of bitterness currently being played by their leaders.”

The General Overseer of ALEM, Eugene Ogu, who prayed for Amaechi and his family before they left at 12.35 p.m. also prayed specially for about three minutes for Nigeria, the President, Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and other leaders of the country.

Ogu prayed that God should intervene in the affairs of the country in 2014 and use His mighty finger to remove all forms of evils that have been programmed by the forces of darkness to befall the country.

The cleric later emphasised that the politicians who are stockpiling unlicensed arms against the 2015 general elections will be thoroughly disappointed.

“The politicians who are busy stockpiling arms are just wasting their time: they will not use those arms. Whatever the problem that is generating such bitterness will be solved by God in the first quarter of 2014.

“The Fourth Man will intervene in the affairs of Nigeria. And the Fourth Man is God. So, there will be peace and harmony in our country,” Ogu said.

According to him, the first quarter of this year will “bring a lot of astonishment about what God will do in this country”, adding that the year will equally bring a lot of breakthroughs to most Nigerians.

•Text excerpted from Daily Independent. Photo shows Governor Amaechi.

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