Wednesday 6 November 2013

APC leaders finally in Port Harcourt to woo Governor Amaechi

 LIVE UPDATES AND BIT
BY BIT SITUATION REPORT ON HOW THE
TRIP TOOK PLACE.
The leaders of the opposition All
Progressives Congress, led by former Head
of State, Muhammadu Buhari, party
Chairman Bisi Akande and former Governor
Bola Tinubu have arrived the Rivers
Government House, Port Harcourt.
An elaborate reception ceremony is being
held for them.
UPDATE 1: Some of the APC leaders in
attendance are Buhari, Akande, Tinubu,
former Speaker of the House of
Representative, Aminu Masari, former
Governor John Oyegun, National Vice
Chairman of the APC for the South South,
Tom Ikimi …
UPDATE 2: Deputy Chairman of the New PDP,
Sam Jaja, is now speaking. The crowd is
massive here. It is a massive political
carnival. There is a lot of dancing and
rejoicing.
UPDATE 3: Mr. Jaja welcomed the visitors
and promised that the leadership of Rivers
state is ready to lay down their lives to
defend the state and its people.
UPDATE 4: APC Chairman, Bisi Akande,
described Governor Amaechi as bundle of
courage, a brilliant man being persecuted.
“He is a leader of the leaders. And we think
we will not go home without asking you,
through him to join the APC. APC is the party
of the progressives and that is where Rivers
state belongs.”
UPDATE 5: Tinubu said amidst cheers: “We
were ready to come yesterday but the
airspace was blocked. We did not want to
offend anybody so we put our visit for
today.
“Amaechi is a progressive. He is a visionary.
He is focused. We know the basis of his
persecution. It is because he fought for the
oil and revenue of Rivers state. He is doing
well. He is giving our children the greatest
weapon against poverty – education.
“I urge you to ask Governor Amaechi to lead
you to the APC. The progressives are offering
the rescue boat. This is a mission to rescue
Nigeria.”
UPDATE 6: Ikimi speaks: “We have seen for
ourself that Rotimi Amaechi is indeed in
charge of Rivers state. This young man is
prepared to pursue his believe to the last,
based on courage and conviction. It is on
these principles that APC was formed. With
APC, there is an alternative platform and
there is a balance of power.
“APC means Aspirin, Panadol, Codeine.
When you have strong headache, you take
these drugs.
“APC also means Armoured Personnel
Carrier. You use it to move forward when
yeye police stop you.”
UPDATE 7: Buhari: “We are here to seek
understanding and support from you
through your leader, Governor Amaechi. I
worked with one of your greatest assets,
Prof Tam David West.
“Nigeria is at a crossroad and that is why we
decided to come together to rescue this
country from destruction. We must get
together and get this country moving again. I
congratulate Gov. Amaechi for providing
education for the people of the state.”
UPDATE 8: It is now time for goodwill
messages from leaders and politicians from
the state. The chairmen of the 23 local govts
have mounted the stage and are dancing.
They are all expected to speak on behalf of
their local governments.
UPDATE 9: A local government chairman and
chairman of ALGON in the state, is speaking.
He says, “We need to move away from the
current cluelessness, visionlessness and
purposefullessness. We need to embrace
patriotism. Wherever our leader (Amaechi)
leads us, we will follow because we have no
reason to doubt his ability to lead us well.”
UPDATE 10: Speaker of Rivers House assures
the visitor that wherever Amaechi goes, they
will go. “We are aware he has been holding
nocturnal meetings with the APC. The House
wants him to hurry up. Let the marriage
happens. We are tired of the dating before
someone will have children outside
wedlock.”
UPDATE 11: Everyone here is waiting on
Governor Amaechi to respond to the
invitation by the APC to join them.
UPDATE 12: Members of the National
Assembly from Rivers are now billed to
speak. They are being led by Senator Magnus
Abe, who is dressed in all white.
UPDATE 13: Member of the House of
Representatives, Andrew Uchendu: “We have
heard all the APC said. You have made very
strong case inviting us. We have given our
mandate to Rivers governor to discuss with
you. Of 3 senators, he has 2 backing him. Of
13 members of House of Reps, he has 10. Of
32 members of the state House of Assembly,
27 are backing him.”
UPDATE 14: Magnus Abe: “Rivers people
have elected a leader. We have elected a
governor. His name is Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi. You have our support. Any party
that is serious about discipline must respect
its own rules. It must allow its members to
hold dissenting views. We are standing by
our sons and will continue to stop him.
Some of those talking today supported
Babangida and Atiku. We did not stone them
because Rivers is home for all.”
UPDATE 15: Master of Ceremony says: “This
person (Amaechi), each time they give him
ginger ginger, they give him swagger
swagger.”
UPDATE 16: Amaechi turns musician, singing
and dancing. He appears extremely happy.
UPDATE 17: Amaechi: “A lot of people are
wondering why I have been dancing since
the burial (of Patience Jonathan’s mum).
When you have God behind you, there is no
one else. We have been hearing ‘we will
remove him, we will remove him’. Have I
been removed? They said they will remove
us on the 11. Eleven is Monday. I will dance.
The second reason I danced at Okrika is that
they said they will stone me at Okrika. I went
and it didn’t happen.”
“Most of the people on the other side are
corrupt. They are thieves. They get contracts
from the NNDC and the Niger Delta ministry
and then go ahead to use the money to
build hotels. One of they got 17 billion
contract to build a road from Eleme to Imo
Rivers. Is there a road there? They have
served and are now hungry.
“They are so desperate that they have gone
to hire Commissioner Mbu as the military
wing of the PDP. One thing you should know
is that the police will come after you. The
only way to stop them is the people’s power.
When you hear of impunity, It’s because you
allow it. When you hear that Amaechi is
courageous, it’s because I take risk. You
must come out when we ask you to do so.
There is no revolution without blood. The
only revolution without blood is reform.
“Anyday they are ready for a debate, I’m
ready. I call them thieves, let them reply me.
“To our APC guests, I like to say we are a
group of seven governors. In that group, I’m
perculiar because the president is from our
zone. So regarding your invitation, I will
consult our leaders, I will consult my party, I
will consult even the president. He is from
our zone. I will consult all the consultables!
“But the day we will take a decision, it will be
at that our new stadium. It has the capacity
to take 40,000 people. Tinubu, and the
president will address 40,000 people. So we
need to go out and continue to grow our
number.
“They have money, they have the police, they
have the army. The only thing we have is our
people.
UPDATE 18: Immediately after his speech,
the governor led his APC guests out of the
venue, drawing the event to a close.
Thank you for following our updates.
-PremiumTimes
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