The immediate past minister of Transport and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi may not accept his appointment as the Special Adviser on Infrastructure of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, inside sources have hinted.
Recall that Amaechi was recently listed as a member of the constituted Presidential Campaign Council( PCC) to pilot the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the forthcoming election.
Amaechi battled Tinubu for the party’s sole ticket in Abuja back in June, 2022, but the former Lagos Governor and co-founder of the party emerged winner.
At the end of the heavily contested ticket, the former minister of Transport, emerged first runner-up at the primary.
Amaechi was a two-time Director-General of the Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Council in 2014-2015 and 2018-2019 and one of the pillars of the merger that saw the dethronement of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Feelers from the camp of the former Rivers State Governor said the Ikwerre-born politician had felt let down by the APC’s flagbearer in more than one way since after the presidential primary which he lost.
Recall that Amaechi had during the 60th birthday celebration of Apostle Eugene Ogu, General Overseer of Abundant Life Evangel Mission in Port Harcourt, said that those who voted during the APC presidential primary were regretting their decision.
Amaechi said delegates who allowed money to influence their decision during the presidential primary are now regretting it.
Amaechi then suggested that the former Lagos East Senator used his enormous wealth to control the outcome of the presidential primary to his own favour.
Furthermore, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, is said to have been hugely offended and is angry over the attitude of Tinubu and his boys towards him, especially their unholy romance with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Apart from Tinubu’s meeting with Wike at different locations in Europe after the presidential primaries of both parties, some of Asiwaju’s loyalists, Governor Babagide Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila have visited the Governor in Port Harcourt.
There are reports that the Jagaban and his proteges were planning to lure the former PDP Presidential aspirant to the APC, believing he would deploy the state’s resources to help them win the 2023 presidential election and that Amaechi feels he is being undermined as the leader of the APC in Rivers and a pillar of the party, nationally.
The former Rivers Assembly Speaker is reportedly feeling he has been sidelined and disregarded by the party he worked hard to build.
He feels it was a let down to him personally for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Rivers State to visit his State and had meetings with his political arch-enemy, to the extent of trying to bring him onboard the APC.
Another major reason Amaechi could turn down participating in the APC campaign is that he was not consulted before the campaign council was formed, according to an insider.
Asked if the former Governor was elated to be appointed as a member of the APC campaign council, an insider, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen, “Elated over what? Are You talking about someone who with the help of very few others removed the PDP and Goodluck Jonathan from power in 2015?
“Are you talking about a two-time Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, a two-time Governor of Rivers State, a two-time Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, a two-time Minister of the Federal Republic? How can Amaechi be dancing because of a mere appointment as adviser in a campaign council when he was the Director-General of the Campaign Council that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015 and 2019? The question should not be whether Amaechi was elated to be given an appointment by Tinubu, it should be whether Amaechi would accept the appointment?”
Asked about the possibility that the former minister might accept the appointment, the source added, “The minister has not spoken yet. But the fact is that he does not feel carried along until this appointment and there’s the possibility that he may not want to commit himself fully because he is a man that doesn’t force himself into where he is not wanted. I won’t speak for him though.”
Also speaking on the matter, a former spokesman for the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said, “Amaechi is yet to speak and I have not spoken to him about the list to know his reaction about it. He is yet to direct us on what to do but I am convinced that he will speak if there is any need in that regard. Let us give him some time.”
“[And for me], I don’t have any feelings about the APC Presidential Campaign Council formation.
“Those in charge have done what they feel is the best for the party so we need to give them time to articulate themselves and map out strategies on how to solicit votes from Nigerians. Ours is to pray for them to succeed.”