Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has reacted to report that he had appointed an aspirant that will emerge as All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State.
Amaechi was said to have spoken to leaders of the party at a brief meeting held in Lagos before flying out to China, ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip.
Amaechi reportedly picked Tonye Cole, ahead of other aspirants, including Senator Magnus Abe, Chief Dumo-Lulu Briggs, Director General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside and former Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Bekingbo Dagogo-Jack.
At the meeting were Senator Andrew Uchendu, Senator Osi Ideozor, former Executive Director of NDDC, Henry Ogiri Peterside and Prince Tonye Princewill.
Others were Lulu-Briggs, former Commissioner for Transport in Rivers state, George Tolofari, Sekonte Davies, Azubike Wanjoku among others.
But Amaechi on Saturday said while he has a right to support any aspirant, he had no powers to unilaterally impose same on the party.
A statement by his media office read: “As an individual, a registered voter and a card-carrying APC member from Rivers State, it is the Honourable Minister’s inalienable, constitutionally enshrined democratic right to back/support/promote any qualified fellow party member of his choice, to aspire to be the candidate of the party in the state in the forthcoming governorship election or any other election.
“However, as a true and thorough democrat, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, a foundation member of the APC and a leading light of the party, recognises that the party candidates for the 2019 general elections will be chosen/elected by party members through the prescribed democratic process in the party’s constitution, rules and regulations.
“It is, therefore, preposterous, mischievous, wholly and intentionally disingenuous and deceitful for anyone to claim, allege or even insinuate that the Honourable Minister has “appointed” a governorship candidate for APC in Rivers State.”
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