APC IS NOT AN ISLAMIC PARTY – AMAECHI

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has debunked rumours by mischief makers and political opponents that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is an Islamic Party.

Speaking during an interactive session with students at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (UOE) in Port Harcourt, Amaechi said the APC is not an Islamic Party and has no intentions to Islamize Nigeria if it wins next year's Presidential election.

Amaechi also exonerated APC Presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) from the centre of the rumours, stating that the APC is a party for progressives who mean well for Nigerians and the overall development of Nigeria.

He said, "APC is not an Islamic Party. This is so because, when General Muhammad Buhari (rtd) was Nigeria's Head of State as a young man, he did not Islamize Nigeria, and to do that he needs the endorsement of the National Assembly to debate over the issue. Buhari cannot Islamize Nigeria. Don’t be perturbed by what our detractors are saying.

“I am an ardent Catholic Christian and I converse with God a lot. It is not true that APC will Islamize Nigeria. The National Chairman of APC, Mr. John Oyegun is a Christian. Bola Tinubu’s wife is also a Christian, Buhari’s cook is a Christian from Igboland, his driver is also a Christian. As a father to all of those Christians, Buhari gives Sunday as a free day to these his domestic staff to go to Church and worship God. So, no one can believe what our detractors are saying about Buhari and APC," Amaechi said.

The governor also expressed huge disappointment over the stagnated political economy of Rivers State, which he alleged is the handiwork of the Presidency and detractors against his government.

“The political economy of Rivers State has been stagnated by the Presidency and their detractors. They are all thieves who don’t mean well for our state. They caused mayhem in the last administration. We assumed office and chased them away. Now, as my tenure draws close to an end, I can see, they have brought them back. You and I have a responsibility to stop them from repeating what they did before. We will not allow them again to steal our funds. Imagine, the missing $20 billion that was stolen. We expect that our President would have sacked all those involved in the saga. But, he only threatened to sack the former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was only doing his legitimate duty at that time. Nigerians must have a rethink," Amaechi said.

On the Rivers governorship race and the upcoming 2015 general elections, Governor Amaechi said the plan by the PDP to usher in another Ikwerre governor in 2015 was unreasonable, not feasible and will fail.

He explained that, “I am an Ikwerre man who has ruled for 8 years and I am surprised to hear that the PDP is jostling to bring another Ikwerre Governor in 2015. The PDP man who PDP want to bring as their gubernatorial candidate is an Ogboni man and not a Christian. That man only believes that votes can be bought with money. He was given N3 billion to fix the internal roads at the new Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in the Greater Port Harcourt City, he embezzled all the funds without doing any road. He was also given 14 schools to build and furnish in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Thieves can’t be governor in Rivers State."

As part of his visit, Governor Amaechi sensitized the students and members of the university community on the need to register as eligible voters in the upcoming 2015 general elections.

"Rivers people and residents must register as eligible voters to choose a credible governor. All of us must exercise our franchise. We must do that for the sake of the future. Public funds are not for private pockets. They are meant for the people", Amaechi said.

"Only those of you who are 18 years of age and above are eligible voters and should be registered. You cannot seat hear and tell me that you don’t have voters card. As INEC prepares to commence the issuance of voters’ card and registration of eligible voters, I urge you to go for your voters’ card. That is the only way you can stop our detractors. Our votes must count in the 2015 elections. You must stay at the polling units and count the votes yourselves before you declare them on the social media and as you do that, you can stop them from rigging the election," Amaechi said.

Reviewing his development strides in the State, Governor Amaechi said
his administration has created employment opportunities for Rivers people, including the 13,200 teachers, the 5,000 workers employed by Risonpalm, the Banana Farm in Tai Local Government Area, the Songhai Farm as well as the Port Harcourt Mall which recently employed up to 600 workers.

He assured the students that despite the economic challenges, his administration will make frantic efforts to finish work on the Rumuolumeni road and others needing immediate construction or fixing.

“We are going to ensure that work on the Rumuolumeni road commences as soon as possible. We have already paid N1 billion. We have also told the contractors to fix Woji road and Elelenwo road. We have commenced work on Trans-Amadi road which has 3 flyovers and 6 bridges," Amaechi said.

Meanwhile, Governor Amaechi has approved a N37,000.00 flat rate as the new school fees for all students of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State whether they are indigenes of Rivers State or not.

He said, “For me, there are no indigenes and non-indigenes in this school. Everybody here is an indigene. Federal Government should stop the issue of indigenes and non-indigenes. We are all Nigerians," Amaechi said.