The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has accused the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, of “incitement, treason and gross rascality.”
Okupe said this on Thursday in Abuja, while reacting to a statement in Abuja by Amaechi on Wednesday, where the Governor warned that Nigerians would be mobilised for civil disobedience if the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rigged the 2015 general elections.
He also noted that Amaechi is a liability to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His words:
“This statement is clearly a further evidence of Governor Amaechi’s penchant for lawlessness and anarchy in his unbridled pursuit for power. It is curious and unthinkable that a man who was himself a beneficiary of the court process would disdain the very platform through which he acquired the opportunity to make his reckless and provocative statement.
“It is even more worrisome when one considers the fact that Governor Amaechi’s party, which is relatively new, came on board promising hope to Nigerians. With statements like this, it is clear that Amaechi is more of a liability to his party than asset and has the potential to bring his party to further opprobrium and disrepute.
“For someone who aspires to become the Vice President of this country, his disdain for law and order is not only unfortunate but also patently dangerous and sends dark signals about the survival of our democracy.
“Discerning Nigerians know that comments like this not only do not augur well for any democracy, but also portray Mr. Amaechi as a reckless, power hungry individual who lacks both the democratic temper and respect for constituted authority and institutions.
“For a party that has made so much noise about its intentions to offer Nigerians a new deal, we wonder how the APC can be comfortable with a loose cannon like Governor Amaechi.
“It is clear to any discerning mind that Mr. Amaechi’s indecorous outbursts and his obvious disregard and contempt for the rule of law, has defined him as unfit to hold any serious public office in this country let alone the Vice Presidency of Nigeria to which he aspires,” Okupe said.
Okupe said the PDP had lost a number of elections in some states under President Goodluck Jonathan, without the President interfering with the pronouncement by the electoral body. He added,
“It is therefore preposterous, evil and mischievous for Mr. Amaechi to suggest that there were plans by the Federal government to rig any elections in today’s Nigeria,” he added.