5th November, 2013
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Governor Chibuike Amaechi of the southern Nigerian state of Rivers has said his final decision to either join All Progressives Congress,APC, or remain in the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, will be taken after consulting widely with President Goodluck Jonathan,South-South political elders and Rivers people.
“We shall consult with Mr President. We shall consult widely. We shall consult elders and political leaders. We shall consult all consultables.”
Amaechi who danced and sang Christian choruses while addressing a large crowd of supporters at Government House Port Harcourt was in an ecstatic mood lashed at his opponents as hungry politicians, who are out to loot the state treasury.
He announced that by the time he finished the wide consultations, he will make his decision known at the 40,000 capacity new stadium that his administration has completed.
The leaders of All Progressives Congress,APC, who came to woo the ‘beautiful bride of Rivers’ were led by former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. There were APC Governors as well. Their visit was scheduled for yesterday but was postponed for logistics reasons.
The APC leaders urged Rivers people to join the party to rescue the nation.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in his speech, urged the people to persuade Amaechi to lead them into the APC.
He said Amaechi was a progressive minded person who had the interest of the people in his development agenda.
‘’ We did not come here to campaign. We have come here to see, seek and invite.
‘’ Amaechi is a solid progressive. I know that he is a visionary, ever since he was a speaker , he has led so many amendments of the constitution and unity of Nigerian Speakers forum and had performed extremely well,’’ he said.
Tinubu described Amaechi as a focused leader who fought for the rights of the state.
He also praised Amaechi for making his economic programme to be people oriented, especially in health, education and other sectors.
In his speech, the interim chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, urged the people to join the party to move the nation forward.
‘’ APC is the party of the progressives, it’s the party of the courageous, it’s the party of the fighters of democracy and all these we have seen in Gov. Rotimi Amaechi and all these qualities are in abundance in Rivers state,’’ he said.
General Muhamadu Buhari, former Head of state in his own speech advocated for the unity of Nigeria which he said was necessary for the country’s economic and political advancement.
He described the country as a nation endowed with human and material resources, capable repositioning it in its pride of place.
‘’This is a blessed country, what we have can sustain us and our children, let us live together as one to make the nation greater.
‘’Bridge building is what we want, just as Governor Amaechi is building, he is a man of courage and leadership qualities,’’ Buhari said.
He said that the division of the nation into political divides was to create political oppression.
Buhari explained that APC was a coalition of many political parties which is poised to challenge the ruling party’s monopoly and take over power.
According to him, the ruling party would continue to rule and win elections if small political parties remain the only opposition.
Also speaking, the National vice chairman of APC, South-South, Chief Tom Ikimi, called for the support of the people of the area for the party.
Ikimi described the South-South a peaceful geopolitical zone, whose main concern was good governance and development.
He said that the leadership of the party would ensure that good governance was given to Nigerians and South-South in particular from 2015.
The APC chieftain, who described Governor Amaechi as a courageous leader, called on the people of the state to rally support for him.
He said that he would not only ask for the redeployment of the state police commissioner, Mr Joseph Mbu again but would be ready to lead Rivers people to fight against his impunity and abuse on the rights of the people to assemble in their own state.
The APC leaders visit was like a carnival.