By Chris Omema Amadi
The rescheduled meeting of youths of Rivers All Progressives Congress, APC, with the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi in Port Harcourt today, Saturday, April 8,2017 was characterised by rancour and acrimony.
The youths were said to have been so dissatisfied that they had to shout down on the minister and leader of APC in the state several times. We gathered that Amaechi started the meeting on a sour note of condemning Senator Magnus Abe and Dakuku Peterside, accusing them of polarising the party. Amaechi specifically accused Senator Abe of not working for the party in 2015, resulting in the failure of Dakuku Peterside in the governorship election, vowing that, over his dead body will Abe be the governorship candidate of the party in 2019.
Expectedly, this statement elicited violent reactions from Ogoni delegates who threw chairs on the crowd, as pandemonium enveloped the atmosphere. The situation was said to have been calmed by Oseleye Ojuka, who pleaded with the youths, particularly those from the South East senatorial district to give their leader another chance to address them.
Amaechi, we gathered had explained that his major problem in politics was that of betrayal, recalling how he was betrayed by those he had made. He rolled out their names to include Governor Ezenwo Wike, who Amaechi said he helped to secure a second term as chairman of Obio/Akpor local government council; Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, who he said he was responsible for him to become deputy speaker of Federal House of Representatives, Celestine Omehia, who Amaechi said he made Commissioner in Ada George government, as well as Engr. Mike Elechi, former permanenet secretary, ministry of works and a host of others. Curiosly, when the youths shouted, what of Glory Emeh, no response came from the immediate past governor of Rivers State.
Meanwhile, several youths spoke at the meeting but what appeared to be the common denominator in their addresses was the deplorable position APC in the state.They demanded for the restructuring of the party and sacking of the state executive committee.Most of them also spoke about empowerment, which they said was promised them by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, Director General of NIMASA and the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
We further gathered that the youths had wished that the representatives of Rivers State in Nigeria Ports Authority and NDDC were at the meeting . They threatened not to allow the leaders of the party to leave the meeting without extracting a commitment that they should be paid the empowerment allowance promised them within 14 days.
The youths were said to have decried the speed at which people were leaving the party in droves in almost all the local government areas, warning that if nothing is done, the leaders may return from Abuja and Lagos to meet an empty party.
In his address at the occasion, the head of APC Social Media team, Friday Nneye was said to have accused the minister and other leaders of the party of being nonchalant towards the welfare of the team that had worked tirelessly to protect the interest and image of APC in Rivers State, and threatened to down tools if the situation remains the same.
We however gathered that real trouble started when Mr. Amaechi did not address the issue of restructuring of the party, and commitment on the way forward , resulting in the switching off of power supply to the ESI Hall, Woji road venue of the meeting.
Those at the meeting were said to have scampered for safety and the meeting ended suddenly in confusion, while Amaechi’s security details struggled to take him to a waiting car, abandoning his official vehicles in the compound.
Recall that this meeting was scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt a week ago but was boycotted by the youths. However, we gathered that they reconsidered their position after they were appeased.
When contacted for comments, Gift Okpara, one of Rt. Hon. Amaechi’s media aides however said the meeting was well attended.
