The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has called
on the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi not to heed the
call by the National Assembly to apologize for his mischievous flippancy
or resign from office.
The State PDP hinges its position on the high regard the All Progressives
Congress, APC led federal government has for him as an indispensable asset
and his taunted closeness to the Presidency.
The State PDP Chiarman, Bro. Felix Obuah wondered why a mere controversy
over a ministry’s budget that is an infinitesimal part of the 2016 budget
proposal should warrant the call for Amaechi’s resignation by the
honourable members of the National Assembly who are just realizing their
Amaechi’s rascality and eccentricity.
We believe it’s rather too early to begin to quarrel with Rotimi Amaechi
or call for his resignation when he is yet to fix the Nigeria he promised
would be changed by his new found love, the almighty APC in matter of
months.
Again, Amaechi remains our beloved son who said he single-handedly
sponsored and made His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President and he is
yet to recoup the billions of Rivers money he invested into the project.
Amaechi also said he planned to construct the controversial Lagos-Calabar
rail line modernization project to empower the APC members in the
South-South.
This lofty dream will not be actualized if he resigns now.
Though not surprised at the controversy ignited by the former Rivers State
governor, Rotimi Amaechi because it’s his character, the State PDP boss
wants the distinguished Senator rather than requesting for Amaechi’s
apology or resignation use their differences, claims and counter claims to
reflect on the kind of persons that are considered for sensitive offices
and, or positions of trust.
According to Bro. Obuah, though the honourable National Assembly members
may feel hurt by Amaechi’s ingratitude after it had accepted to deliberate
over the later included supplementary budget which he later went public to
claim was contained in the original budget proposal, thereby portraying
the federal lawmakers as partial and discriminatory, the main reason for
Amaechi’s mischief was to create the impression that he has the interest
of the South/South people at heart which is a fallacy.
Bro. Obuah is however happy that Amaechi has carried his antics of setting
brother against brother to the very Senate that screened and confirmed his
ministerial appointment and would want the lawmakers to use same to
reflect on all the submissions by not only the PDP, but also the people,
the civil society and concerned citizens etc, before they went on to
confirm his appointment despite several allegations of corruption and
breaches of the Rule of law by Amaechi.
This is the kind of falsehood, mischief and misrepresentation we have been
contending with, from Chibuike Amaechi which his allies and the All
Progressives Congress, APC have continued to deny and good a thing, he is
now exhibiting same character to his appointees and this is just the
beginning, Bro. Obuah noted.
The State PDP boss said the issue is not whether or not Amaechi should
resign as a minister or tender apology to the National Assembly but this
should serve as an eye opener and a pointer to the crisis he (Amaechi)
instigated in Rivers State that brought about the panel of inquiry that
indicted him of a myriad of corrupt practices and fraudulent engagements
while he served as governor in Rivers State for eight solid years.
We have said it times without number that Amaechi cannot change his true
colour under President Buhari and must remain a cog in the wheel of
progress.
His early resignation will hardly free the APC members and the unrepentant
Amaechi apologists from the world of theories which is not good for the
country.
The taste of the pudding they say, is in the eating while experience
remains the best teacher.