The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has said former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has lost over 70 per cent of his political followership in the state.
The Secretary of the State APC Caretaker Committee, Chief Eric Nwibani, stated this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, June 11th, 2024.
Chief Eric Nwibani further said aside from losing his support base, Amaechi, a former Governor of the State, has also lost three election circles from 2015 to 2023 despite being what he termed ‘a super minister’ and an influential member of the former President Muhammadu Buhari kitchen cabinet as a two-time Director General of Buhari’s Presidential Campaigns.
Chief Eric Nwibani was reacting to a statement credited to Amaechi, that those who left him to work with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, did so because they could not endure hunger.
He noted that Amaechi should rather ponder on why generations of followers were leaving his political camp rather than throw tantrums and accusations.
He stated, “Amaechi has lost over 70 per cent of his followership. I’m done working with Amaechi. Let me tell you the type of leader Amaechi is.
“In 2019, during the presidential campaign rally of President Buhari at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, 16 Rivers people died due to stampede.
“Three persons from Obio/Akpo and other LGAs of the State, Amaechi visited three families in Obio/Akpo and promised the families through their leaders that he would do something for the deceased families.
“But he didn’t turn up. That is the kind of a leader Amaechi is.”
Continuing, Chief Eric Nwibani said, “He (Amaechi) carries bitterness over the years. I heard him say he was going to plan to win the next election.
“How? You were a super minister and you couldn’t win the last election, is it now that you are out of government that you can win an election?
“Amaechi cannot say those working with Wike are hungry. I don’t know where he worked before joining politics. We know he made money from government and politics.
“I know that Chief Victor Giadom is not hungry. I know that Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree is not, Hon. Sampson Ngeregbara and many others are not hungry people. I don’t know what informed him of the statement that he made that those now working with Wike are hungry.
“Yes, Wike is a PDP man. But he is a Rivers son and is doing very well as FCT Minister working in the government of President Tinubu.
We need to give him all the support he deserves. You cannot run a party aground and lose three consecutive elections due to ineffective leadership qualities and expect people to still follow you.
“Three good circles and you believe that those people will continue to follow you, it is not possible.
“He left PDP in 2014 for APC, and nobody threw stones at him, why is he carrying bitterness because he lost the election against President Tinubu in 2023.”
Meanwhile, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Chibuike Ikenga, has said the party is studying the court judgement, which said the 27 Pro-Wike lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule are still members of the PDP.
Ikenga stated, “Well, the decision of the Court is what it is. Ours is to obey or appeal.
“But as we speak, our leadership is looking at it, and based on the advice from the legal department of our party, we will take a position on it.”
Asked how soon that will happen he said, “I think the process is on now. We are in stakeholder engagement, so we will know the next line of action afterwards.”