President Muhammadu Buhari, the
propeller of the rejection of tenure elongation for members of the national
working committee of All Progressive Congress (APC) , and the initiator of that
rejection, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must know that what is going on in Akwa
Ibom State as “elective congress” during the supposed wards and Local
Government congresses was nothing but a lie of democracy and the utter abuse of
democratic processes of an election, especially where guidelines for such
elections is a public document – they headed the way of illegality and
unconstitutionality.
No matter what the hindrances are to
the popular participation of qualified citizens of a country in exercising
their franchise (their right to choose in an electoral process) and upholding
the dignity of the universal adult suffrage (a fundamental right of choice),
what should be, is the removal of these hindrances to allow for due process and
the deepening of democracy; not an artful dodging of a clearly burdensome
responsibility of political leadership – where there is a will, there is a way.
It is therefore very cheap when
leaders show incapacity to deepen our democracy but attempt to hinder the only
one Nigerian who has suffered political hatred serially, even when no one has
contributed, measuring up to him in any way, in the advancement of democracy in
Nigeria, the man Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He set the tenor for where the APC
is today and President Buhari respects his political views and reach. This must
not be toyed with by any section of the party.
If leaders of a people think an
election would be violent, they should not frame up ways out of violence by
abusing democracy but ensure that everything is done to evolve and develop
democratic tenets of and by their political followership – our leaders have
been derelict of this responsibility. Which political party has held a seminar
for the members at the ward and local government levels to advocate peace and
mitigate violence? None! Our leaders are only interested in their next
political office and how to get there.
It is good to showcase the records
of non violence for all to see and to insist that there was a peaceful conduct
of the APC congresses in Akwa Ibom State, nevertheless, I think Mr President,
who is the APC party leader, and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is President
Buhari’s national leader in the party, should ask Ita Enang, the Presidential
aide on National Assembly Matters, Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director of the
Niger Delta Development Commission, Umana Okon Umana, the Managing Director of
the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Ben Ukpong of the National Population
Commission and other appointees of this administration, all of who are members
of the party over whom he has appointive powers, how they helped the conducts
of the elective congresses in Akwa Ibom State.
I would also demand that the APC
Electoral Panel, a panel I suppose are made up of decent democrats, opens up on
the manner of the congress they “conducted” or supervised in Akwa Ibom State –
something is definitely wrong in this country. Until Nigerians understand how
democracy is the will of the majority, and not the will of a few political
office holders, Nigeria will remain the property of a few leaders who can buy
and supply deadly weapons to our youths.
Only political office holders and
those they recruit can facilitate gunrunning in this country – no any other set
of Nigerians can. This is why none of our lawmakers care how they have grossly
abused Section 16 Subsection 2 (c) of our constitution. Even President Buhari
is either oblivious or looking the other way to avoid stopping this abuse of
our constitution. I weep for this country.
I solemnly declare, with all I hold
dear , that what was done in Akwa Ibom State during the wards and local
government congresses of the APC was the replacing of ward and local government
executives of the party who have left the party and those who are late. The
Electoral Panel of the APC to Akwa Ibom State did nothing to uphold the party
guidelines for the congress they were engaged to successfully vacate, nor did
they conduct any elective congress anywhere in Akwa Ibom State.
The electoral panel members were the
guests of some members of the Akwa Ibom State Caucus of the APC, to whom they
listened, and permitted that the list of party executives elected into office
in 2014 be updated by substituting the names of members on the list who have
left the party and those who are late, by replacing them with existing members.
In Nsit Atai Local Government Area
where I participated fully in the processes, no part of the guidelines released
for the elective Congresses across the country was facilitated nor adhered to
in any way as demanded by the leadership of the party. The replacement of
unavailable members was what was done at the “ward congress” tagged
“harmonization” in Nsit Atai Local Government Area, where 80% of the incumbent
officers have been “returned” to office unopposed, without having resigned from
their posts, nor did they apply for, nor got waivers from the National Working
Committee as demanded by President Buhari, and according to law. How can we
advance our democracy like this?
This is the reality of the situation
in Akwa Ibom State, and I feel persuaded that this is what is likely going on
in other States in South South Nigeria. I was aroused to this realization when
I read that the Chairman of the Delta State Electoral Panel of the APC Sani
Dododo was removed from his responsibility for broadcasting his return from the
local government congress of the party without the consent of his committee
members. What particularly jolted me was his replacement by Emmanuel Chindah.
Sani Dododo is a northerner, and I suppose, a replacement for him should also
come from the north, bearing John Oyegun’s admission that the “convention
committee” of the party was drawn from and made up of varied and varying
interests in the party.
My question therefore is on how the
interest of Sani Dododo’s representation as a member of the “convention
committee” been justiably replaced by the interest that Emmanuel Chindah’
represents in the same committee? It can only be that Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
is seriously interfering with the processes of the APC congresses across the
Niger Delta. The Transportation Minister and self acclaimed “Lion of the Niger
Delta” has a right to feel aggrieved with an electoral process, but he has no
right to attempt twisting the arms of the process to achieve his desire.
He is so demonic in his passion to
always have his way politically. Emmanuel Chindah served Chibuike Amaechi as
Commissioner, when the later was governor of Rivers State for 8 years. He is
one of the faithful stewards of Amaechi who stayed back with him after Nyesom
Wine’s revolt, resisting Wike’s baits. For Chibuike Amaechi, after losing the
endorsement of the Delta State Chairman of the APC to Adams Oshiomole in the
decision of the South South Caucus of the APC to endorse the later, it must be
made known how Minister Amaechi has not lost his dream of standing in the way
of Adams Oshiomole emerging as national chairman of the APC and so of the
interest of President Buhari on the matter.
President Buhari surprises me. The
other time, when Atiku Abubakar exited the APC, the Minister of Women Affairs literally
supported Atiku Abubakar against Mr President and she has since been excused to
continue as Minister. The same way has Chibuike Amaechi recently shown obtuse
opposition to Mr President’s choice of Adams Oshiomole as the succeeding
Chairman of the APC. It must be made known that Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is the
mastermind of the lobby to sustain John Oyegun’s interest in continuing as
Chairman of the APC after 30 June 2018. It is in furtherance of this idea that
Rotimi Amaechi has shown very kin interest in the elective congresses in South
South Nigeria.
My mission is to paint the picture
of the political demon Chibuike Amaechi is to the Buhari’s administration. I
hold Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi responsible for the founding of the “cabal” we
know of in the presidency – he bought off the allegiance of Mr President’s
relatives and hangers on. He was a very huge factor to the delay in President
Buhari releasing of the list of nominated members of the federal executive
council until after he was 6 months in office, especially having caught
political office aspirants unawares with his limiting of his cabinet to 36
members at ministerial level.
There was a very big reason why
Rotimi Amaechi invested himself and resources of Rivers State to take the
office of Director General of the “Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign
Organization” in 2015. As DG of BOPCO in 2015, Chibuike Amaechi was the bride
and cynosure of the eyes of very political office holder in the South East and
South South region. He became to the South East and South what Buhari is to the
north and what Tinubu is to the South West, by self imposition, self arrogation
and his attempts to speak for the 2 regions with one mouth.
Rotimi Amaechi is the arrowhead of
the “group” sustaining the possibility of returning Oyegun to the office of the
national chairman in these 2 regions and to scuttle Mr President’s reelection
bid for Bukola Saraki’s emergence as APC Presidential flag bearer. Agreed it
was Bola Tinubu’s idea that President Buhari should set up a reconciliation
committee for the APC, and the rejection of tenure elongation for APC NWC
members was.also his idea. But the idea of tenure elongation was the creation
of Amaechi and his gang of opportunist.
The unholy romance that took existed
between John Oyegun, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Tambuwal, Rabiu Kwankwaso and.others
during the national convention to select Presiden Buhs ahe APC and
aldeficitsmpromises brought us our present hardship, from the rejection of
Tinubu as Vice President to the present rejection of Oshiomole as succeeding
APC national chairman. They are the barons of money influence of politics and
the paying for politicking.
Chibuike Amaechi was forced out of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) characteristically, and it was with this
characterization that he was admitted into the APC without a first hand purge
of his characteristic passion for always wanting his own ways. This is a
spiritual disease. I see him as the “Jonah” that must be thrown off President
Buhari ship of state to help our voyage as a nation. Rotimi Amaechi is a bad
spot in President Buhari’s administration. Emmanuel Chindah must not be allowed
to Chair Delta State APC Electoral Panel.
If Sani Dododo must go, let another
from his geopolitical zone be drafted to replace him, not an Amaechi’s boy. Let
Emmamuel Chindah return to Rivers State and help to stop the bloodshed and
political rascality going on there. It is unfortunate for him that innocent
lives must be wasted and properties destroyed each time he is in any political
contest. Why should President Buhari allow this heinous responsibility by
Minister Amaechi to fester?
Mr President has done well without
the South South States, he did not need them to win his presidency. Mr
Preisdent has done well without Rivers State, he did not need Rivers State to
win his presidency. Why must Amaechi insist on winning where he has clearly
shown incapacity to win? Political victory through a democratic process does
not and should not readily amount to a political war. This is where Rotimi
Amaechi has remained politically unlearned and childish in the face of
bloodshed and wanton destruction of properties. This is backwards and downwards
politics: it takes all stakes nowhere. Good politicians do not fight, they
lobby well.
He started his offensives after
failing to hijack the machineries of the APC at the convention to choose a
Presidential flag bearer but lobbied hard to emerge President Buhari’s
campaigns director general – that is where he is presently targeting with his
present Buhari Campaigns Organization (BCO). He finally got his way when he
paved the way for Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara to emerged President of
Senate and Speaker of House respectively. Someone engineered President Buhari’s
lack of interest in who heads an important arm of government. That was the way
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi “cut Tinubu to size” and posted a “sentry” in the
presidency to watch President Buhari’s every move.
He is a Nigerian politician who
still sees our amiable Vice President Osinbajo as a “mere commissioner” because
he has never been one, neither has Bukola Saraki who made the phrase and term
prominent been one too – so they scorn the office of commissioner. It is time
for President Muhammadu Buhari to ask Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to go: he should
be relieved of his ministerial appointment. Let him go and resist Adams
Oshimole’s emergence as national chairman of the APC from Obima his hometown
because Wike will not give him residence in Port Harcourt city. Why should
Amaechi confront his President and the leader of his party? Why should he?
It is not surprising how he hijacked
all the ministerial appointments that came from the Buhari administration to
the south south. I challenge every Nigerian who has the time to investigate my
accusation of Chibuike Amaechi as serving the interest of the PDP in the APC to
so do please. Let us take Akwa Ibom State for instance: we have prominent
indigenes who funded the “legacy parties” that birthed the APC, people like the
distinguished Senator John James Akpan Udoedehe who took care of the Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as his baby, the elder statesmen, Atuekong Don
Etiebet and Chief Sam Ewang, who funded the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP)
and a few others who stuck with the ACN, ANPP and other parties in the state,
who clearly could have been considered for political office in this
dispensation, but what do we have?
We have Nsima Ekere, Ita Enang,
Umana Umana, Udoma Udo Udoma, staunch members and promoters of the Godswill
Akpabio’s PDP administration, who left the PDP from political frustrations to
frustrate the rightful beneficiaries of the labour of our heroes past, making
them vain through the machinations and interference of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
What the Akwa Ibom State APC Caucus
have consented to, which is in clear violation of the guidelines of the APC
congress and the conditions of acceptance of this democratic aberration can
only result for the stakeholders treading careful with the den of our lion,
lest they lose favour. Instead of arresting the passion of Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi, and making it dead on arrival, his resurrection of the Buhari Campaign
Organization has again thrown him up as relevant in the present political
scheming. Amaechi is not working for President Muhammadu Buhari, but for
himself.
If Rotimi Amaechi is against Adams
Oshiomole’s emergence as national Chairman of the APC, then he is clearly
against President Buhari seamless ride back into the Aso Rock Villa, and it
will be to the peril of Mr President’s ambition if he continues to allow Rotimi
Amaechi to ride roughshod with anything that is electoral and in favour of
popular democratic participation.
He remains the only governor who
invaded his House of Assembly and physically trashed members of his
legislature, making some of them to seek medical treatment overseas. This is
the kind of “lion” President Buhari has allowed to infest and unleashed on
Rivers people to waste the political fortunes of the people and that of the
Niger Delta region.
And on behalf of the current political
scam going in Uyo, with Nsima Ekere making available his hotel to host the
Electoral Panel members, and dishing monies to the “harmonization” committees
handling the political deficits and loss of Mr President in the wards and local
government areas across Akwa Ibom State, I see and hereby announce Amaechi’s
Man Friday in Nsima Ekere, dismissing Mr.President’s rerun bid in the state.
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi cannot
equate himself with Bola Ahmed Tinubu in any way and by any means. Tinubu still
has the highest stakes in the politics of Lagos State 11 years after vacating
the office of Governor but Rotimi Amaechi was boothed out of office by his
Chief of Staff. Bola is not Amaechi’s mate.
Who was Rotimi Amaechi and where was
he when Tinubu nominated Iyorchia Ayu as Senate President in 1991? Who and
where was he when Tinubu formed the National Coalition for Democracy (NADECO).
Who and where was Amaechi when Tinubu set up Radio Kudirat to spread the
awareness of the political madness during the Abacha era? Who and where was
Amaechi when the Asiwaju sustained the political opposition in Nigeria during
the “do or die” regime of Olusegun Obasanjo? Who and where was he when Buhari
rejected the first advance of the Asiwaju in 2010? Why does he think he can
reap where he did not sow.
Adams Oshiomole must make sure that
the first thing he does when he assumes office as national chairman of the APC
is to show how a “rat” sees himself as a “lion”. And my last word for Chibuike
Rotimi Amaechi is taken from scripture – “let him that girds on his armor boast
not than he that puts his off”. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi should learn about
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo. He will not lie to him. The
Asiwaju is a resulted politician who has returned from political battles
severally, let’s see how Amaechi thrives without Buhari’s support. Opportunists
will remain opportunists. Opportunism is a political deficit for any politician
and I pray Rotimi Amaechi is teachable.
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