Why I backed Buhari, rejected Jonathan in 2015, by Amaechi

Amaechi, a former governor of the state, said he would soon return to the state to resume political activities.

The Minister also said that former President Goodluck Jonathan gave him many offers to remain in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but he rejected them because he was not a tribalist.

Amaechi spoke at the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt when he received some political bigwigs who abandoned the PDP for the APC.

Those who defected to the APC with their followers were Chief Alabo Michael West, Dr. John Bazia, Chima Obinna, Chief Salvation Ezengwogwo, among others.

Amaechi said he would resume his activities in the state with prayer sessions.

He said despite the entreaties from Jonathan, he chose to work for the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari because he would never base his fight on tribal sentiments.

He said the former President fought him for leaving the PDP, adding that he (Amaechi) triumphed because God was with him.

Amaechi said: “Next year, we are starting prayer session. You know, when Goodluck fought us, he was not fighting me, he was fighting God, and I knew he would fail.

“Tell them, from next year, prayer will start. I will come to Port Harcourt like I used to come, and I will say this will happen, and it will happen.

“Let me tell you who I am: I do not drink. I have never tasted alcohol in my life. I don’t smoke. I am not tribalistic. Whether in Rivers State or in Nigeria, I am not tribalistic.

“If I were tribalistic, President Goodluck Jonathan offered me opportunity to remain in PDP. He offered me all sorts of opportunities, but I said that I had given my allegiance to Buhari because I am not tribalistic.”

The minister also said over 90 per cent of politicians in the state grew through him and commended the defectors for leaving the PDP.

He said: “Let me welcome my friends. Like they told you, they shared power with me in the Assembly. And I tell people that there are not up to 10 per cent of politicians in Rivers State who didn’t pass through me. Mention names, I know their character.

“So, I say I am not supporting you for governorship because I know your character. You know, when we went to Abuja, this young man started making noise, an elderly Nigerian called me and said keep quiet, very soon Nigerians will know who he is, now everybody knows who he is.”

Chief Ibinabo Michael West, who led the defectors, is a former PDP governorship aspirant, two-time member of the Rivers State House of Assembly and a commissioner when Amaechi was governor.