The APC Presidential Campagna Council said on Tuesday that they were humbled by the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the recent Presidential election, saying Nigerians should regard the election as a no victor, no vanquished situation.
Director General of the Council and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who spoke at a news conference at the council headquarters in Abuja also said that the PDP plan to write to the United Nations on the outcome of the 2019 Presidential election was just an exercise in futility as the supreme body in the country still remain the President.
Amaechi who said President Buhari has already assured that he will run an all-inclusive government, pointing out that those asking the governme t to stop blaming the PDP for the problems of the country are not students of history.
He said “The President has said that no only will he run an all incusive government, but he is guided by the fact that Nigerians have suffered alot and this is the time to use Nigerian money. In the accounts of Excess Crude, there was 68 billion by Obasanjo and the cost of the railway project from Lagos to Ibadan to Kano was 7.8 billion. If that money was well utilsied, we should have had one now. Lagos to Calabar is 11 billion. we could have had the rail from Lagos to Calabar.
“But nobody is asking where is that money Obasano left behind? By the time we came, they had taken away that money and you said we should not blame the PDP. we cannot stop blaming the PDP because that i history which is a record of past events and the present. What happened in the past influence our present. They took away the money leaving behind only 2.5 billion dollars. So, how do you operate.
“The focus of this Press conference was to thank Nigerians and say we are grateful to PDP, you should not pursue this matter in court, let us prepare for the next four years when we come be for another election and encourage INEC to conduct a free and fair election and that is what the President was emphasising.
“Whether the PDP did well or not, we now have another four years to prove them wrong by doing better. we cannot keep crying that they didn’t do well. No excuses because the President has promised to run a government that will satisfy Nigerians. As Journalists, please try and investigate so that you can find out what is happening. I am embarrassed because in Rivers state, to be a candidate, the court disqualifies you.”
On statements credited to the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus that election may not holding in 2023, the Former Rivers governor said “The PDP Chairman is not the President of Nigeria. Not even the President of Nigeria can stop elections holding in 2023 because we have the constitution.
“To say you are going to the UN, let me say that there is no superior authority in Nigeria other than the constitution and the constitution has said that after every our years, there should be elections. So, nether the PDP or APC chairman can say there will be no election.”
reacting to reports that the President got more votes in 2015 that what he got this year, he said “there was voter apathy because Buhari supporters have the feeling that he has already won and did not come out to vote. We had a huge turn out during the campaigns that in Borno, people were hanging on trees.
“We should be praying for the souls of the faithfully departed in the course often campaign and during elections. Because of campaign, we lost 10 persons in Taraba, Four in Borno and fifteen in Port Harcourt. The one in Port Port Harcourt was unnecessary because the event was over and people were leaving when bad boys came to forment trouble and people panic and we had stampede.
“We are satisfied with the votes we got. You can say that this election was a score card for the President on whether Nigerians are satisfied with what he has done. 15.5 million Nigerians said they were satisfied with his performance.
“We are very proud of that and We are humbled in victory. Even the President is quite about it and even told Nigerians that they should go ahead to vote for whoever they want. We believe that our brothers in the other party will see reasons. But we will try and see what will happen.”
while thanking Nigerians for putting their trust in the Buhari led administration, Amaechi said “I call this Press Conference to thank Nigerians for voting President Muhammadu Buhari and the need for Nigerians to support the President. We think Nigerian for turning out in their large number to vote for the President.
“I dont know how true it is, but I saw in the coaisl media that New Times wrote that it was a selection between corruption and integrity. Election is over and we are no lnger discussing corruption, but wants to implement the policies that will ensure that monies that belong to Nigerians are kept for Nigerians alone.
“Like you know, the cardinal point the President has consistently campaign on is that he will fight corruption. He also focuses on not only rehabilitating the economy, but also to make it good.
“We had this challenge as soon as we took over in 2015 and the President has said that the economy will not grow if we don’t focus on security and ensure that lives are secured. We are saying that none of these cardinal objectives will be forgotten by the President and he has said that he will run an all-inclusive government. Many Nigerians have asked what he intends to do.
“I want to say to Nigerians that we are grateful and we are humbled by the number of people who turned out, not just for the election, but at the point of campaign, not only in the north, but also in the south. The support in the south increased tremendously against what we had in 2015 which is a clear indication of the acceptability of the President. I told some people that it is only those that failed election that gathers for meeting. Those who wins will only share champegene.
“In celebrating, we are conscious of the fact that in this election, we want to repeat what Gowon said in the seventies that is no victor and no vanquish. We enjoined our colleagues in PDP to join hands and ensure that Nigerians have good governance.”
Speaking on the violence in Rivers during the last election and whther he ws remorseful, Amaechi said “if you are a Christian, yu have already found me guilty without any trial. If you are sking me whether I am sympathising with those killed, that I can answer. But if you ask me whether I am remorseful, it is like founding me guilty and asking me whther I am sorry for being found guilty.
“I want to say that many people like my name as former governor and former Speaker and currently a Minister. All do is to vote and go home. let us take the violence in River state one after the other.
“The first violence was in Abonema. Lieutenant was standing and protecting INEC staff when hired killers came from outside the area and open fire on military men and killed one. What do you expect and when they responded in self defence, people protested that they don’t want the military in an area where you have militant.
“I am avoiding talking about the current governor of Rivers state because people will say that you have governed for eight years, allow this man to govern. I keep away so that he will not say Amaechi is not allowing me to govern. You should investigate when I was there.
“I have never gone away with the type of money Wike went away with, N117 billion and nobody complained. Rivers state is one state where there should not be a candidate at all especially if the court found you guilty and disqualifies you. Two days after elections, they went back to the same place and killed three soldiers and cart away their guns. i am neither a military man nor am I from Abonema, not did I leave my house to Abonema to vote.
“In Emoha, when it was time to collate result, thugs came shooting and everybody ran away. The fourth one was in Andoni, the home town of the PDP Chairman. Majority of the people dying are APC member. As leader of the APC, will I go and kill my own people. They did not only kill those people, they cut off their neck and went away with their corpse. Nobody is asking why people are killed just because of the ambition of one person?
“I was governor of that state and I fought militants. i don’t know them, I don’t greet them. Wike established neigbourhood watch and who are the members of that body? He armed them and you are asking me about what is happening in Rivers state. Which law in Nigeria permits you to establish a para military organisation.”
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