Politics

Tension in APC over alleged Amaechi’s anti-Buhari comments

Published

6 years ago

January 7, 2019

There was disquiet in the ruling All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Sunday over an audio, where a former governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi , allegedly criticised President Muhammadu Buhari .Amaechi is the director – general of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress .

The former governor , who also served in the same position four years ago , is the minister of transportation .

President Buhari is the presidential candidate of the ruling party .

One of our correspondents gathered that since the release of the audio , some leaders of the party had been discussing it .

It was gathered that while others believed it , some were of the opinion that the former governor should speak on it .

A source , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said he was not sure Amaechi could make such comments .

“ I ’ m not sure the minister could make such a remark . He has benefitted so much from this government, ” the source said .
“ But we are not sure yet . We would rather want the minister to speak on the audio , ” another added .

When contacted , the APC National Publicity Secretary , Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said , “ I have not seen the leaked tape to listen to it and as such cannot comment on it . ”

In the audio, Amaechi allegedly said Nigeria could not change .

Phrank Shuaibu , who is the special assistant on public communications and strategy to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, in a statement on Sunday also quoted Amaechi as having said Nigeria was beyond redemption.

He claimed Amaechi said , “ This country can never change , I swear . The only way this country can change is in a situation where everybody is killed . This country is going nowhere .

“ When Magnus ( Abe) was my Secretary to the Rivers State Government , I told him this country was hopeless and helpless and he told me , ‘ Oga, stop it . This cannot be coming from a governor . ’ But two months later in Abuja, Magnus came to meet me and said , ‘ I agree with you ; this country is hopeless and helpless. All they do in Abuja is to share money . ’

“ The President does not listen to anybody . He doesn ’ t care. You can write what you want to write . Does he read ? I was flying with him in an aircraft and we saw a news report where a goat seller was complaining he couldn’ t sell his goats during Sallah because of Buhari’ s administration . And the President said , ‘ What is my business with goat sellers ?”

The Peoples Democratic Party in its response said the audio had exposed the All Progressives Congress as having no plan for Nigeria ’ s development .

The PDP National Publicity Secretary , Mr Kola Ologbondiyan , told journalists the audio also revealed the alleged deceptions and contrivances of the APC to win the 2015 election .

Ologbondiyan said , “ I think he ( Amaechi ) has a huge responsibility to defend himself . But if his principal , President Buhari , feel the tape is normal, it is not our business in the PDP .
“ What is out in the public domain is just a demonstration to Nigerians about the lies , deceptions , contrivances and beguilement that the APC has deployed to win the 2015 election . It shows they have no plans , no agenda and no vision in whatever form as far as governance is concerned for Nigerians . ”