The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has announced that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has experienced a significant decline in political support, losing over 70 percent of his followers in the state.
Eric Nwibani, the Secretary of the State APC Caretaker Committee, made this statement during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. He pointed out that Amaechi, who also served as a former Governor of Rivers State, has faced continuous electoral defeats from 2015 to 2023, despite his influential roles in the government, Punch reports.
Nwibani addressed comments made by Amaechi, who claimed that his former supporters left him to work with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, due to their inability to withstand hardship. Nwibani suggested that Amaechi should reflect on why many followers are abandoning his political camp instead of making accusations.
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“Amaechi has lost over 70 percent of his followership. I’m done working with Amaechi. Let me tell you the type of leader Amaechi is,” Nwibani stated.
He recounted a tragic incident in 2019 during President Buhari’s campaign rally in Rivers State, where 16 people died in a stampede. He accused Amaechi of failing to follow through on promises made to the affected families, highlighting what he described as Amaechi’s lack of leadership and empathy.
Nwibani also criticized Amaechi’s comments about those working with Wike being motivated by hunger. “Amaechi cannot say those working with Wike are hungry. I don’t know where he worked before joining politics. We know he made money from government and politics,” Nwibani said. He emphasized that several notable figures in Rivers politics, now aligned with Wike, are not driven by financial desperation.
Praising Wike’s performance as the FCT Minister under President Tinubu, Nwibani called for support for Wike, arguing that effective leadership should be recognized and backed, regardless of party affiliation. He questioned Amaechi’s prospects of winning future elections given his track record of losses and alleged bitterness over past defeats.
