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Governor Rotimi Amaechi is definitely not a happy man today, if what happened at the All Progressive Congress’ (APC) convention in Abuja is anything to go by. He expressed his feelings to a close confidant in three words ” I feel betrayed”
The Rivers state Governor who saw the APC as a platform where he could prop his political profile, found himself dumped by his men because they think he is all air no substance.
Amaechi had been the tool used by the APC Governors to attack President Goodluck Jonathan. For several months after he switched camps, he used every available fora to attack Jonathan and shower accolades on his new found ‘family’. At a point they went on dramatic solidarity visit to Port Harcourt, where they heaped garbage on the President
But the party did not last. Shortly after the convention Amaechi had no choice but to express disappointment because all his APC friends promised him came to zero.
Initially he was promised the Vice President’s slot, and told he could run alongside Aminu Tambuwal. But the equation changed when people like Atiku Abubakar joined the race.
According to a source ” Of course they did promise him the Vice Presidential ticket in the forth coming election with a condition to sell the party and make President Jonathan unpopular. The initial arrangement was to pair him with Hon. Tambuwal (Speaker of House of Representatives) . But when other entrants like Atiku and others entered the party,everything changed.”
Later he was told the chairmanship slot would be zoned to the south-south zone. At that time, they had Tom Ikimi and John Oyegun as interested members from that zone. But Amaechi wanted Sam Jaja on the list as well.
Amaechi approached Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and others to help him push for Sam Jaja as deputy national chairman (south) but that failed as well because Bola Tinubu ensured the spot went to Segun Oni of Ekiti state.
With the zoning of the VP and Deputy National chairman (south) slots given to South west, Amaechi’s game plan failed on both fronts.
According to a source “Adam’s quietly told him “My brother, I know the bad name they have called you in the South-South and Rivers in particular. Again, I sympathize with you because I know how much you have put-in in APC, this Yoruba and Hausa people can’t be trusted, they said you couldn’t build the APC in Rivers State and that only 95,633 out of the 1.3 million membership you claimed have passport photographs. That everything was doctored by you”
After it was clear that he would not get the VP slot because Bola Tinubu wanted it given to the South West zone, Amaechi pushed for the deputy national chairmanship slot. Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa pleaded with him to take the position of the deputy National chairman(south) of the party, that it will be zoned to the South- South.
Amaechi did not give up, said the source ” he initiated a platform for the 16 APC governors to talk in Port-Harcourt last week. And in that meeting, the 13 governors and their deputies that were in attendance reassured him that he will be given the deputy national chairmanship (south) slot, that is he would present Sam Jaja” .
According to our source “he is very disappointed he felt used and dumped. He feels betrayed”