The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has claimed that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has experienced a significant decline of over 70 percent in his political support base within the state.
Eric Nwibani, the Secretary of the State APC Caretaker Committee, made this assertion during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Nwibani further remarked that apart from witnessing a reduction in his loyal following, Amaechi, a former Governor of the State, has also suffered defeat in three consecutive election cycles from 2015 to 2023, despite holding prominent positions such as a “super minister” and a key member of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s inner circle, serving twice as Director General of Buhari’s Presidential Campaigns.
Nwibani’s comments were in response to a statement attributed to Amaechi, suggesting that those who defected from his camp to join the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, did so due to hunger.
He advised Amaechi to reflect on the reasons behind the departure of successive generations of followers from his political faction, rather than resorting to accusations and outbursts.
He stated, “Amaechi has lost over 70 per cent of his followership. I’m done working with Amaechi. Let me tell you the type of leader Amaechi is.
“In 2019, during the presidential campaign rally of President Buhari at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, 16 Rivers people died due to stampede.
“Three persons from Obio/Akpo and other LGAs of the State, Amaechi visited three families in Obio/Akpo and promised the families through their leaders that he would do something for the deceased families.
“But he didn’t turn up. That is the kind of a leader Amaechi is.”
Continuing, Nwibani said, “He (Amaechi) carries bitterness over the years. I heard him say he was going to plan to win the next election.
“How? You were a super minister and you couldn’t win the last election, is it now that you are out of government that you can win an election?
“Amaechi cannot say those working with Wike are hungry. I don’t know where he worked before joining politics. We know he made money from the government and politics.
“I know that Chief Victor Giadom is not hungry. I know that Ojukaye Flag Amachree is not, Sampson Ngerigbari and many others are not hungry people. I don’t know what informed him of the statement that he made that those now working with Wike are hungry.
“Yes, Wike is a PDP man. But he is a Rivers son and is doing very well as an FCT minister working in the government of President Tinubu.
“We need to give him all the support he deserves. You cannot run a party aground and lose three consecutive elections due to ineffective leadership qualities and expect people to still follow you.
“Three good circles and you believe that those people will continue to follow you, it is not possible.
“He left PDP in 2014 for APC, and nobody threw stones at him, why is he carrying bitterness because he lost the election against President Tinubu in 2023.”