‘Why APC Wants Amaechi’; …Tinubu, Buhari, Extol Gov’s Leadership Qualities …Amaechi Dares Police, As Supporters Flood Airport …Gov Accounts For N1.9trn

Leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) say the party will welcome Governor Chibuike Amaechi if he decides to join the party, because he is a progressive by his nature and actions.
Speaking yesterday in Government House, Port Harcourt, during a visit of APC chieftains to the State, Tinubu observed that since his days as Speaker of the State Assembly, Amaechi had shown traits of a progressive, and therefore should not stay where he is being intimidated and persecuted.
Tinubu stated that the governor’s developmental strides, speak volumes and called on the citizenry to urge the governor to come over to APC.
The former Lagos State governor pointed out that moving to APC would cement the relationship between the South and North, adding that, “the progressives are offering a rescue boat”.
For Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, the leadership of APC had decided to woo the persecuted Group -7 governors in order to balance the political equation in the country.
The former Head of State said it was high time the progressives merged forces to check the present misrule, and salvage the country from corrupt and inept leadership, “we must organise ourselves to utilize the resources of the country. We must get together and move this country forward”.
Interim Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande said Amaechi’s governorship style had endeared him to the party, “we noticed that he is more than a leader, he is the leader of leaders”.
“Let him come and join APC, a party of courageous fighters, a quality which Amaechi has “Akande remarked.
In his speech, the House of Representatives member, for Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constitutency, Hon. Andrew Uchendu said for now Governor Amaechi remained a big asset to any party he would be ready to pitch tent with in the future.
The House of rep member fo Ikwerre/Emohua Federal constituency added, “we have heard all that you said. You have made a very strong case inviting us, … me and my colleagues have given the governor our mandate to discuss with you”.
Also speaking Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, decried the huge loss of party discipline and values, as he lamented that the ruling party does not condone dissent voices.
Abe argued that any party that does not respect the views of its members should be ready to court crisis, pointing out that the soul of any party belongs to its members.
Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree said while the governor was still consulting, the citizenry are ready to go with him, wherever he goes.
Governor Tinubu together with Gen Buhari (rtd), Tom Ikimi, Odigie-Oyegun, Masari, Bisi Akande arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport at exactly 9.05 am in a chartered Hawker 4000 and immediately proceeded to the Model Primary School at Elekahia, where the host Governor Amaechi took them round on an inspection of the school project. They later visited the adjoining Elekahia Primary Health Centre and inspected the facilities in the centre.
At the school, he told his visitors that his administration had completed and furnished 300 primary schools all over the state and had also finished and furnished seven comprehensive Secondary Schools at the rate of five billion naira per unit. He explained that the schools contain modern and world class facilities like massive classroom buildings, teachers quarters, hostels, libraries and other facilities worthy of envy.
The group later proceeded to Government House where they addressed the thousands of the supporters of the party and the people of the state who had waited eagerly for their arrival.
Chief Tinubu set the tone of the visit when he described the Rivers State Governor as a courageous and progressive leader, who was being victimized because he is fighting for the cause of the people of the state and that his courage endears him to the leadership of the party, hence its resolve to visit the state to see, seek and invite.
Tinubu also explained the reason for the postponement of the visit initially planned for Monday.
“As for yesterday’s postponement, we were ready for the visit, you people were ready to receive us, but the airspace was blocked. Because we did not want to offend anybody, we did not want to undertake the visit in a confused atmosphere and you still came in your thousands to welcome us.”
Amaechi in his speech took a swipe at those he accused of trying to grab the state’s treasury and described some of his critics as being corrupt and morally bankrupt.
He also explained the reason for his display of enthusiasm at the burial ceremony of the First Lady’s mum’s burial at Okrika town, last Saturday.
”You will wonder why I was dancing at the burial. I can tell you why.  They need to know that when you have God behind you, there is nobody in your front. We have been hearing we will remove him, we will remove him since 2007, have I been removed?
They talk as if they own the court. They said we will be removed on the 11th.  November 11 is on Monday, is it not? That day I will dance here to the glory of God because if I tell you that I am not happy with your presence I will be lying.
I have made a commitment and the commitment is that they have served, they are now hungry, the money they got from government is finished, that are now hungry. They are now desperate, we must stop them, as for, me I am through. I have told you that all I do is kneel down and ask God to save me from these evil men and women and by His grace I am being protected. I also need to include you in the prayer and I have been saying to God, protect Rivers people and Rivers State, so that these people will not come to power and steal your money.
Addressing his guests, the governor said, “we have heard you. We are a group of seven governors. I am peculiar in that group of seven. Let me tell you why I am peculiar. The President comes from our zone. I will consult our leaders. I will consult Rivers youths. I will consult the President and consult all ‘consult -ables’ and I will get back to you. The only thing is that I will take a decision whether for or against it will be at the Liberation Stadium. That stadium has capacity for 40, 000 people. We will want that stadium to be filled. If we are staying, we will call the President to come and address us. If we are going, we will call Tinubu and Buhari to come and address us and you will be addressing 40, 000 people in that stadium.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi had moved into the Port Harcourt International Airport after the Nigerian Police Force attempted to prevent his supporters from entering the airport to welcome leaders of All Progressive Congress (APC) who were in the state to visit him.
Amaechi who arrived at the airport at 9.00am was going back to the Government House, Port Harcourt when he discovered that Police had barricaded the gate, preventing the large crowd who came to receive the visitors from gaining entrance into the airport.
The Governor, after order his to the police to allow the crowd was rebuffed, pushed the gate open which made him to trek with some of the crowd to the airport.
According to him, Nigerians should learn to have their voice and resist oppressions.. Nigerians must have their voice.
In a related development, Governor Chibuike Amaechi yesterday used the visit of leaders of All Peoples Congress (APC) to the state, led by Gen. Buhari and Asiwaju Tinubu to reply his critics on how funds received since the inception of his administration have been spent.
Amaechi explained that he was pressed to reply  based on the over blown figures dished out by his detractors stating that  even at N1.9 trillion  the figures were baseless and imaginary.
He stated,” they also say we have gotten N1.9 trillion thank God. Before they said it was N3 trillion…Let me tell you if we are using their figures that we got N1.9 trillion and our wage bill is N8.9billion but for the purpose of argument let us leave it at N6billion. Take N6 billion and multiply by 12 how much? 24 billion per year multiply by by six years, about 500 million. So they should remove 500 million from N1.9 trillion. Let them tell me how much that is remaining.’’
The governor further explained that if monies spent on roads put at N500 billion ,the 500 model primary schools built at N112 million, and Model secondary schools built at N4.5 billion per school, with seven completed, the 140 health centres are all subtracted then that means he was prudent in managing the state funds.
Amaechi submitted that critics of his administration are angered because he refused to share the state resources,” they said we have done nothing then they are blind because even the bat perch on our schools roofs.”  thanked Rivers people for the opportunity given to him to serve them, while promising not to fail them.

A mammoth crowd cheering Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, during the visit of APC leaders to the state, yesterday. Inset: Governor Amaechi addressing the crowd.