Minister of Transportation, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi has been exposed by Senator Magnus Abe…
“Mr. Amaechi said I fell ill when he picked Dakuku over me in 2015 I should answer honestly that I did not fall ill. Indeed Mr. Amaechi himself will recollect that Rivers youths almost set the Government house on fire, and that I came out to address them and went on air to appeal for calm. He can also remember that I arranged a meeting of Ogoni leaders who met with him in the aftermath of that decision. No doctor attended to me.”
But he will also remember that when Prof. Osinbajo was announced as vice presidential candidate of the APC, he went into shock and a doctor had to be brought in to treat him. He was placed on drip all night to stabilise him. That was why he assumed that I would have also require medication. We all react differently to shock.”
“The minister asked if I am popular why did I go to court? My response is that I learnt from the case of _*Rotimi Amaechi Vs INEC*_ that when the rich and powerful, those who have absolute control of the party machinery, are after you it is only the courts that can help you. So I simply followed in Amaechi’s footsteps. If that meant he was not popular, then that is what it still means today.”
“I am glad that Amaechi can still remember that myself and Wike attended meetings with him in an effort to support him to be governor. Whatever transpired between him and Dr Odili, I am glad Dr. Odili is still alive and he is in a better position than myself to discuss Mr. Amaechi’s loyalty.”
“But let me remind Mr Amaechi that he is not to me what Dr. Odili was to him. I have never been on Mr. Amaechi’s personal staff. I have never lived in his boys quarters. Our political partnership started in the house of Assembly to which I sponsored myself and Dr. Odili sponsored him. So I do not owe him the kind of loyalty that he owes Dr. Odili. How well he discharged that loyalty in the face of power is between him, Dr. Odili and God.”
“Lastly, let me repeat once again, that I was elected minority leader of the Rivers State house of Assembly by members of the minority caucus of the house. I was appointed commissioner of information by Dr. Peter Odili. Dr Odili himself called me after my appointment and told me in the presence of two witnesses (the then deputy Governor and the SSG) that my appointment was one he made by himself out of conviction that I would do well and he was not influenced by anyone in giving me that appointment.”
“Yes, the Minister as Governor appointed me as SSG and supported me to go to the senate. I thank him for the privilege, but I did not lobby for the job, and served with total commitment, and discharged my responsibilities faithfully and to the best of my ability.”