Rotimi Amaechi, a former Transportation Minister and All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, came under fire on Monday for claiming that delegates who voted in the APC primary were bribed to influence the outcome of the convention.
Amaechi also claimed that many of those who were bribed with money have since regretted their actions.
On Saturday, he made the contentious statement at an event commemorating the 60th birthday of the General Overseer of Abundant Life Evangelical Mission, Eugene Ogu, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State’s capital.
At the party’s national convention, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu defeated Amaechi, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and 12 others to win the presidential ticket.
In response to his scathing remarks, some APC supporters and party leaders chastised the former Rivers State governor, accusing him of displaying signs of frustration after losing to Tinubu.
A number of Amaechi supporters have also come to his defence, claiming that the ex-minister made no mention of any names while making the conjecture.
Adebayo Shittu, Director-General of the Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organization, said Amaechi’s statements were unbelievable.
“Who regrets what?” he asked. Can Amaechi distance himself from those he claims induced to vote? He, like the other APC primary candidates, cannot point fingers at others without implicating themselves.
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“What does he mean when he says delegates are regretting accepting bribes in exchange for votes?” Is he implying that the governors who brought them in took bribes and expressing regret? I’d like to have the opportunity to debate such issues with him.”
“Amaechi’s outburst, like a few others, was clearly motivated by frustration.” I understand that when one loses an election, one is bound to harbour resentment. You can’t rule it out. After all, we are human beings and Nigerians,” he added.
Gabriel Babalola, the Ekiti State Coordinator of Tinubu Support Organisation, also slammed Amaechi, questioning how a former minister thought he could win the APC presidential ticket without working hard for it.
“Before any of them could wake up, Asiwaju had gone from state to state, from one traditional ruler to another, seeking their support.”
“How many traditional rulers did Amaechi visit before the convention?” How many states did he visit? “He must have spoken out of frustration,” Babalola said.
The APC’s youngest presidential candidate, Nicholas Felix, called for restraint on both sides.
“Amaechi, like some other aspirants and party members, may not be pleased with the fact that Asiwaju won the elections, especially with the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket playing out,” he said.
“I’m sure the reaction would have been different if Tinubu hadn’t gone in that direction.” Perhaps everyone would have been fired up.”
Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, an ally of Amaechi’s and an APC chieftain, said it was unfortunate that Tinubu’s camp took the matter personally.
Eze, a former spokesman for the defunct new Peoples’ Democratic Party, noted that the former minister made no mention of Tinubu or any other politician, and wondered why he drew unnecessary criticism from his men.
“Did Amaechi mention anyone’s name when he made that statement?” So it is very unfortunate if Tinubu’s supporters believe they are to blame.
“Everyone saw what happened that day, and even the majority of the delegates confirmed that they were given money to vote,” he said.
Darlington Nwauju, the APC’s Deputy Publicity Secretary in Rivers State, also believed Amaechi was misunderstood.
“First and foremost, I was present at that ceremony or event where he spoke,” Nwauju explained. The problem is that he provided an example to which anyone can apply any interpretation. And I hope they heard him when he said, ‘Please vote for the APC.’ He stated it emphatically.
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“So, when people take the example out of context, he contextualised it because he is an APC member.” He could not have used the PDP as an example. Those who voted for Atiku Abubakar would have said, ‘Oh, because he wants to join the PDP,’ if he had said that. So he contextualised it.”
All attempts to reach the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, for comment were futile.
He had not returned calls or SMS messages as of the time of filing this report.
However, a former Deputy Spokesman for the APC, Yekinni Nabena, hinted that if Amaechi truly desecrated the same process he used in the APC primary, he would be completely disappointed.
