APC: Amaechi will transform the transport sector

The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for branding the appointment of Rotimi Amaechi, immediate past governor of the state, as federal minister of transportation as a waste.

In a statement released on Sunday by Eze Chukwuemeka, his media aide, Davies Ikanya, chairman of Rivers state APC, said Amaechi had a reputation as an achiever, and he would certainly succeed in his new position.

“We unreservedly condemn this unwarranted attack on the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, by Rivers PDP and take strong exception to the party’s description of Amaechi as a misfit,” read the statement.

“Though Rivers PDP is well-known for the use of gutter and uncouth language, describing a Minister of the Federal Republic as a misfit evidently crosses the line and speaks volumes about the character of Rivers State PDP Leader, Chief Nyesome Wike, and his co-travellers in the doomed party.

“We view this statement not only to be unfortunate but also a great disservice to Rivers state and Nigerians as a whole. Instead of this drowning party with her members mourning and apologising to Rivers people for wasting billions of naira on a failed plot to stop Amaechi’s ministerial appointment, the party is unrepentant issuing worthless and absurd statements that only serve to confirm that Wike’s PDP is the number one enemy of Rivers State and her people.”

He argued that contrary to PDP’s claims, Nigerians are aware that “Amaechi is an achiever, and they believe in his ability to make a positive difference in the transport sector, including ensuring the completion of work on the Port Harcourt International Airport and other projects in the state abandoned by the sacked PDP federal administration of Goodluck Jonathan through the influence of Wike”.

Theparty advised Wike and Rivers PDP to “cover their faces in shame as their six months in power through a stolen mandate has brought nothing but embarrassment, shame and misery to Rivers State and her people”.

“Apart from the fact that Wike as erstwhile State Minister of Education collaborated with Dr Goodluck Jonathan the erstwhile President of Nigeria to cede our oil wells to Bayelsa, Abia and Akwa ibom States thereby denying Rivers State and her people revenues due to the State.

“It is also an established fact that Wike spearheaded and collaborated with the PDP Government to ensure that throughout the ill-fated six years of Dr Jonathan’s administration, no Federal project was sited in Rivers State. This evil clique ensured that the Rivers State portion of Port Harcourt-Enugu Express road remains a death trap so that the blood of Rivers State people are wasted on daily basis during this evil regime.

“Today, over N45 billion collected from the Federal Government (May to October 2015) has been wasted in bribing the judiciary and promoting impunity in Nigeria. To demonstrate Wike’s disdain for Rivers State and her people, the world-class international secondary school located in Eleme built by the Amaechi’s administration has been closed down, as well as the Buguma International Fish Farm employing over 2,000 Rivers people has been closed down, and the world famous Songhai Export Farm employing about 5,000 direct and indirect labour. The Banana Farm in Ogoni is being readied for outright sale, while the kindergarten schools built in each of the 23 LGAs are being shut down.”