- Safiu Kehinde
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has accused former Rivers state governor and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of inciting Nigerians against the government.
The party laid the accusation against the ex-minister in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.
Recall NPO Reports Amaechi’s dissatisfaction with Nigerians in a recent interview over their inaction on the economic hardship.
The ex-minister had charged Nigerian youths to protest as he lamented over the cost of diesel.
In reaction, the APC lashed the ex-minister, labelling his comment as ‘insensitive’ and ‘unpatriotic’.
APC further accused Amaechi of living off the state’s resources.
“From the lavish comfort of his “proverbial glass house”, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transport and Governor of Rivers state, in a recent interview, berated Nigerian youth for not protesting “high cost of living” in the country to his morbid satisfaction.
“Amaechi’s comments are insensitive, god-awful and unpatriotic, coming from one of Nigeria’s longest serving and highest ranking political freeloaders – a two-term Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, a two-term Governor, and a two-term Minister of Transport.
“For almost all of his adult life, Amaechi, has been a leechy dependant on state resources, a voracious beneficiary of official patronage, and a leading participant in the generational devastation of our country’s economy.” The statement read.
Reacting to Amaechi’s embezzlement of public funds allegation against the government, APC accused him of stealing public funds for 24 years.
“Attempting to hoodwink Nigerians into his web of false empathy and incitement to violence is hypocritical, provocative and dangerous.
“If those in power “steal money” as Amaechi mischievously alleged, how come he can’t afford “to buy diesel” barely two years after “stealing” for over 24 years in power as Speaker, Governor and Minister?” APC said.
Meanwhile, the ruling party would further compare Amaechi’s agitation to that of Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, whom they labelled as naysayers who allegedly did nothing while in power.
“The only real anger that Amaechi and his fellow tribesmen of naysayers of the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, must feel is that they are not in the saddle of government today. But that was a decision made by Nigeria’s ultimate political authority – the electorate. Nigerians are highly perceptive, discerning, demure, and mindful that economic discomforts associated with the administration’s inevitable reforms are transient and will pale into insignificance in comparison to the enduring transformative dividends which are already beginning to manifest.
“Nigerians will not be cajoled into taking back through street violence what they handed to the administration through the ballot, as Amaechi and his partisan tribesmen would wish.
“It is nauseating to think that these naysayer tribesmen who did absolutely nothing to improve the economy or living conditions for Nigerians while they were in office, now pontificate, endlessly, about what and how things should be done but didn’t and couldn’t do while in power.
“It’s as though they only regain their senses and discover their talents for governance when they are out of power. A tribe of naysayers, is what they are, who never see any good, only gloom, filled with bile and disdain for the determined strides of APC-administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to transform our country’s economy for the benefit of present and future generations of Nigerians.
“One would expect Amaechi to keep busy trying to solve the crippling crisis in Rivers state that he once governed. Instead, he has chosen to stoke anarchy on a national scale. Weaponizing protest and exploiting citizen’s economic discomfort for selfish political objective, as these partisan tribesmen are doing, is irresponsible and decidedly unpatriotic.
“We urge Nigerians to dismiss the call to anarchy by Amaechi and his partisan tribesmen and to remain patient and continue to support President Tinubu’s bold effort to transform our country’s economy once and for all.” APC added.