Only the Nigerian masses have the power to decide who should rule and are therefore the ones to save the country, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation has said.
Amaechi, who lost to Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the All progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries, said no amount of sharing of money or giving of contracts to one’s supporters would solve their problem but resolving the problem of the economy.
Amaechi spoke as special guest at the 60th birthday event of the general overseer of Abundant Life Evangel Mission (ALEM), Eugene Ogu, in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
As if referring to the gale of resignations of his key followers in Rivers State to other parties, Amaechi said sharing money is not the solution to the economy.
The problem is the economy and the solution is in fixing it, not sharing money or awarding contracts to keep followers happy.
He also said the solution was for all the people to rise. Speaking tongue-in-cheek, the former governor who declined an interview at the end of the event to explain some of the statements he made, urged the ordinary people of Nigeria to rise and vote in a government that can rescue the economy and stop seeking cash-sharing.
He urged a foremost cleric and evangelist, Uma Okpai, who was present, and other men of God to pray for Nigeria.
“Save the ordinary Nigerians. If Nigeria’s problem will be solved, it will be by ordinary Nigerians. You must vote for the right people. May God make you vote for the right candidate that will save Nigeria.”
Amaechi seemed also to hold the Nigerian voters responsible, asking, those who voted at the APC presidential primaries, were they not ordinary Nigerians?
Read also: Defection rumours: Amaechi not about to quit APC – Ally
He said the little money they made from voting would only solve immediate problems but would not shield them from the economic woes of the nation.
Giving insight into his relationship with the celebrant and how he fought with prayers and tears to become governor, Amaechi said he vowed to attend the event because of what Ogu represented in his struggle. He said he did not pray much to become president like the way he prayed down fire to become governor.
He said just as some of his close allies are deserting now, that was how people deserted him when he was denied the governorship ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2006 but Ogu did not leave him.
He went on: “One man of God left me when they chased me away. Some gave me conflicting prophesies. My belief is; if God said I will be governor, so I go and rest. It means no matter what, I will be governor. Apostle Eugene Ogu did not abandon me.
“I once cried in this church, and most of you know why. Most people have also left this church. Things change for a politician and these changes lead to people reacting in different ways. One friend once dressed very well and sat with Celestine Omehia’s lawyers on the day of verdict at the Supreme Court (2007), sure they would win. When the verdict was given (and Amaechi won), he didn’t know where to put his face.”
He said he prayed like fire during his governorship quest. “I went to every man of God recommended to me; a time came when most pastors refused to pray for me.
“I went to Uyo to see Rev Uma Okapi to pray for me. He gave me fasting 4-6pm. It was not easy–oh. At the end, I became the only man who sat as governor without contesting an election. God fulfilled his promise to do something that would shake the ear that heard it.”
Apparently referring to those leaving his political family to other parties, Amaechi warned: “The first wife is always better. Men always find this out.”
He said he was being abused as a stingy governor that refused to share money. Now, he asked, is he now a saint? He tried to show that sharing money cannot be a good public policy tool. He asked them if the man now doling out money to people has solved all their problems.
Instead, he said he fought insecurity by being involved in operations. As governor, he said, he was always in the bush with soldiers and police to search out agents of violence. “I would tell them, let’s go together. That was how we brought down violence in Rivers State.”
