Buhari, Tinubu, APC leaders storm Port Harcourt to woo Amaechi.
Busolami Idowu
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has officially appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi to join
their party ahead of the 2015 general election.
In their different speeches, the high-profile APC delegation led by Chief Bisi Akande, General Mohammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Ahmed Bola-Tinubu told Rivers people that they were not in Port Harcourt to campaign.
Bisi Akande who is the interim National Chairman of APC clearly said they had come to ‘woo’ Amaechi because of his antecedents in the Nigerian political spectrum and also for his developmental strides in all areas of the economy.
On his part, former Lagos State Governor and the leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu took a swipe at the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan for her role in what marred their scheduled visit on monday.
“Let me apologize for what happened. You were ready. We were also ready. But because we didn’t want to offend anybody, we decided to come in peace”, he said.
Tinubu also condemned the alleged activities of the Police and the role of the Presidency in the recent developments, which he said had truncated true democracy in Rivers State.
He also commended Amaechi for being a “progressive”. “We did not come here to campaign. We are here to see, to seek and to invite. I know Port Harcourt, I know Rivers State and I know Rotimi Amaechi; he has performed extremely well and we know this country cannot develop on the axis of intimidation, harassment, and lies. We know this man is focused.
“A man who stands to be cheated is not a man, he is a pig. I invite all of you to please ask Governor Amaechi to lead you to APC. We will join hands to move this country forward. The progressives have come”.
For former Head of state, General Buhari, the APC has been keeping an eye on Amaechi for a while and “we believe he is an ‘asset’ the party will like to own. The leadership of APC decided to target some Governors who we think should make changes in the political scene of this country. We are here to come and seek understanding and support of your leader, Governor Rotimi Amaechi”.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has challenged people of the state to come together and resist attempt by some individuals to hijack the state and loot its resources.
Governor Amaechi told a crowd of supporters at a reception for the visiting chieftains of the APC, at the Government House Port Harcourt, that those opposed to him were hungry and desperate.
Amaechi said he is committed to the course of the G-7, nPDP, opposed to the leadership of Bamanga Tukur
The Governor told the APC delegation that he would consult with major stakeholders, including President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP and South-South leaders before making a decision.
Amaechi, who punctuated his speech with songs of praise to God noted that his excitement in recent days, especially during the burial of the mother of the First Lady in Okrika, was because he knew he has God by his side.
“They have become so desperate that they have gone to hire Mbu to serve as the political wing of the PDP in Rivers State. I pray to God to save Rivers State so that those thieves will not come to power and steal your money.
“We want to confront the Nigerian Police. When you hear impunity, it is because you allow it. There is no revolution without blood. From now till election, we should mobilize and confront the Nigerian police.
“If they say they are ready for debate, tell them I am ready. They should go to the National Assembly and summon me. I will defend myself. I call them thieves. They are hungry and playing politics of the stomach.
“To our guests, (APC), we have heard you but we are a group of seven Governors.
“I will get up and consult our leaders. I will also consult you (Rivers people). The day we shall take a decision whether for or against, it shall be at the stadium. If we are staying with the PDP, the President will address us and if we are going, Tinubu and Buhari will address us”, he said.
According to him, the plan to remove him next Monday would also fail, adding that he would dance on that day.
“When you have God behind you, there is no one else. We have been hearing we will remove him. We will remove him! Have I been removed? They said they will remove us on the 11th. 11th is Monday. I will dance. The second reason I danced at Okrika is that they said they will stone me at Okrika. I went and it
didn’t happen”.
Loyalists of Amaechi, who came to pledge their support include, Senator Magnus Abe, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream); Andrew Uchendu, a member of the House of Representatives; and Sam Sam Jaja, Deputy National Chairman of the Kawu Baraje faction of the PDP, also called “New PDP.”
Others are the chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state and 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree.
Earlier, there was confusion at the Port Harcourt International Airport when supporters of Amaechi were barred from entering the airport to welcome the APC chieftains.
It took the intervention of Amaechi for the gate to be opened. He also walked a distance of 5 kilometres, leading his supporters from the gate to the airport.
However, as soon as the Governor and the APC chieftains left for the Government House, the police fired tear-gas at the crowd, who had caused heavy traffic along the Omagwa-Owerri road.
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, condemned the incidents at the airport. The coordinating General Manager, Public relations of FAAN, Yaqub Datti said politicians should stop playing politics in or around the airport stressing that the airport was sensitive to security.
