Former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has opened up on what ex-Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi told him about rumors that he had abandoned the APC.
Reports emerged on social media over the weekend quoting Amaechi as saying that he regrets joining the APC.
Eze described the reports as deceitful and tactically embellished to curry public validity.
Eze, a very close ally and confidant of the former Rivers governor, in a statement made available to the media, said Amaechi did not authorize anyone anywhere to speak for him.
He stressed that the ex-Governor of Rivers State does not entertain any regrets in building and nurturing the APC into a formidable political bloc.
Emphasizing that leadership failure has little or nothing to do with political party in the Nigerian context, the APC chief said Amaechi, like every other Nigerian, regrets the insensitivity of the ruling class to the plight of the ordinary people of the country.
Eze said, “As an outstanding stakeholder within the political family of the erstwhile Governor of Rivers State and former Minister of Transportation, I read with great disdain, the fabricated falsehood by Ibeh, that Amaechi regrets joining and expanding APC and all other rubbish he stated in his false report.
“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have decided to join issues with demented, unscrupulous and undemocratic merchants of satanic world on their ill fated assumption concerning the political life of Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
“Doing so, definitely will amount to glorifying detractors, backstabbers, and habitual blackmailers like Ibeh, who are threatened by Amaechi’s silence in the affairs of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“However, as a progressive, humane and grassroots oriented politician, and considering the fact that Amaechi is one of the key political gladiators that formed APC and eventually wrestled power from the Peoples Democratic Party, I am constrained to set the records straight.
“For posterity sake, I have come to make this clarification in order not to massage the political ego of ungrateful allies as keeping quite will send a dangerous signal in the APC family and the country’s polity.
“Flowing from the above summation, I make bold to state that Amaechi’s silence in the affairs of our great party is purely a personal issue and based on self convictions. It has come to my knowledge of an orchestrated mischief and a deliberate but concerted effort aimed at maligning and placing Amaechi in public opprobrium.
“The said report ascribed to Amaechi, to say the least, is a handiwork of denigrated political charlatans and their sponsors who are hell-bent on destroying a hand that once fed them.
“Amaechi is a complete partyman, a strategist, a proactive and focused politician, who would not condescend so low to rant publicly on issues that would negate the growth and existence of APC and intra party politics.
“In view of the foregoing, I warn those peddling such devious reports to
stop wasting their time to force Amaechi to speak. Amaechi has not as claimed by some mischievous group, regrets joining the APC.
“All these are devilish acts by some disgruntled elements to attribute statements never made by Amaechi to him following his long silence. His decision to keep mute in the political scheme of things doesn’t in any way mean that he regrets joining APC
“I drew the attention of Amaechi to the false report, which he vehemently refuted claiming not ever encountered the diabolical Ibeh talk less of discussing anything with him about whatever he perceives as his trial in the hands of APC leadership. According to Amaechi, ‘I did not say that rubbish’
“I must state that I am fully aware of the sponsor of such a diabolical act aimed at demeaning the person and personality of Amaechi before the public but that is an exercise in futility.
“I am aware that many people are not happy about the continued silence of Amaechi on political issues surrounding our nation but using falsehood like this type of report to force him to speak about his future political mission is just a waste of time as he is enjoying his rest which has kept some enemies of this country uncomfortable.
“Let me state categorically that Amaechi didn’t utter or was interviewed by the mysterious Ibeh as he has no regret of joining APC and bringing it to power. He has no regret for whatsoever he did in making history by transforming the rail transportation in Nigeria or neither does he have any regret bringing Buhari to power.
“I counsel those behind the fabricated falsehood aimed at denting the hard earned political image of Amaechi, to leave him alone until such a time he needs to address the nation accordingly
“All these are acts by some undesirable junkyard snakes in green grass to attribute statements never made by Amaechi to him.
“I repeat for the umpteenth time, Amaechi’s decision to keep silence doesn’t in any way suggest that he regrets joining APC.”
Written By John Owen Nwachukwu