1st March, 2011
Less than 24 hours after the fire incident at his official residence yesterday, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, in the early hours of this morning was at Royal House Of Grace Church in Port Harcourt, to seek God’s guidance and mercy as he flaged off his re-election campaign this morning. The event took place at Isiokpo, the traditional headquarters of Ikwerre people, which is also his local government.
The governor who was accompanied to the venue by his entire cabinet, Campaign Organisation and elder statesmen like the former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada George, who wore Amaechi’s campaign Tee-Shirt just like Amaechi.
Ada George is from the Okrika home town with Dr Abiye Sekibo, the former Transport Minister and ACN Governorship candidate in Rivers State.
Dr. Sekibo is presently battling to have his sealed campaign office along Tombia street in Port Harcourt. It was sealed by Obio/Akpor Local Government Council for indebtedness on tenement rate.
Meanwhile, Amaechi said he declared his intention to seek re-election in church last year and it was only proper to come back to the same altar to ask God for His direction and protection.
Couriosly, Governor Amaechi did not mention anything about the fire incident yesterday.
All the prominent Pentecostal pastors in and outside the state were at the church this morning.
Our sources at the Government said “The Governor was not relocated to any other part of Government House. He slept at his residence because electricity that was temporarily put off because of the fire was restored a few hours later.â€
During fire incident, Government House, Chibuike Amaechi was away in Abuja.
According to Government House statement endorsed by Blessing Wikina, the Acting Press Secretary said the fire was quickly put under control within 30 minutes, by a combined team of Government House Staff and Julius Berger workers, who are still maintaining the complex.
All the installed firefighting equipment were deployed, which successfully put the fire under control before the arrival of state fire fighters who, as at the time of this statement, were undertaking a safety check on the facilities within the complex.
Nobody was injured in the incident, including family members of the governor.
—Okafor Ofiebor/    Port Harcourt