Politics

Nigerians deserve healthy President – PDP, R-APC tell Amaechi

Published

6 years ago

July 29, 2018

The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the Minister of Transportation , Rotimi Amaechi , and others, which it did not name , of allegedly exploiting the fragile health of President Muhammadu Buhari to spite Nigerians .The party was responding to a claim by the former governor of Rivers State that even if Buhari contested from a sickbed in 2019 , he would win in some core northern states .
The opposition party said Amaechi and others in government “ actually know that the President is sick ” and that Buhari did not possess the mental ability to lead the country .

The National Chairman of the PDP , Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke to our correspondent , asked Nigerians to insist on a healthy president in 2019 .

He said , “ If Amaechi could say that the President would win on a sickbed , then he knows the health status of his principal . He knows that we have a sick leader who will not be able to give his maximum attention to the country .

“ We don’ t need such a man at this critical time . We need a President who will be able to work 24 hours and read all memos, stand at meetings and debate with people and the parliament . We don’ t need a figurehead president that the likes of Amaechi are praying for .

“ I know that people like him want a president they can deceive , who will not be on top of happenings in their ministries and in the country . They want a president who won ’ t watch television and who will not read newspapers . If that is what they want , they will meet their Waterloo in 2019 . ”

Secondus added that the battle ahead would be between what he called a desperate cabal and Nigerians who he said “ will be desirous to get freed from the grip of the wicked . ”

The National Publicity Secretary of the R -APC , Kassim Afegbua , said Nigerians deserved better than a President on a sickbed to provide leadership in the 21 st century .
Afegbua said , “ Unknown to Hon . Minister Amaechi , Nigerians do not want a man on sickbed , hence there is a general consensus that this present leadership should quit .

“ The country is terminally ill as a result of bad and ineffective leadership. Nigerians have been prevailing on the President to sit down and offer leadership, but he has been racking his brain . ”

Meanwhile , the Sokoto State Governor , Aminu Tambuwal , has said he is still a member of the APC . The governor , who spoke through his Director – General , Media , Abubakar Shekara , stated this while reacting to claims by Amaechi .

Among others , Amaechi had said Tambuwal would defect from the APC , adding that Buhari would win Sokoto State without the governor in the APC .

Shekara said the governor would not take issue with the minister .

He stated , “ My principal will right now , not take issue with anybody on who will win in what state , particularly Sokoto.

“ Maybe, he would have reacted if the comment is centred on the candidate of another party and not the APC , which he is a bonafide member . How do you expect him to be taking issue with a fellow party member on the fortune of his party?”

Shekara also seized the opportunity to denounce speculations surrounding Tambuwal ’ s planned defection from the APC .
He added , “ Tambuwal is still a member of the APC, and if there would be need for him to defect to another party, he would make his stand known at the appropriate time . ”

Amaechi could not be reached for comments as his mobile indicated that it was switched off when one our correspondents called him .