By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt
Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has come under attack following his absence at the Southsouth stakeholders’ meeting with the Federal Government.
The meeting, which held in Government House, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday had in attendance most presidential appointees from the region and elected representatives.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Amb. Ibrahim Gambari, led the presidential delegation comprising ministers from the zone.
But the absence of Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, drew the ire of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The party said there was no justification for Amaechi’s absence which it described as “unfortunate.”
The party, in a statement by Livingston Wechie, the media adviser to its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Igo Aguma, asked Amaechi to tender an apology to the people of the state and the APC family for his “embarrassing action.”
It said: “We condemn the absence of Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of Transportation from the Southsouth Stakeholders meeting with the Presidency which held in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.
“Information available to the APC in the state is that Hon. Amaechi was at the airport in Port Harcourt to receive the Presidential delegation, escorted them to the venue of the meeting, disappeared and was never part of such a crucial stakeholders’ meeting that has to do with the Southsouth geopolitical zone.
“The absence of the minister of Transportation, who is supposed to be the minister representing Rivers State in the federal cabinet is most unfortunate as there can be no justification for his non-participation.
“This is because there can be no plausible reason for his disappearance from such an important meeting of the leadership of the Southsouth and the Presidency aimed at discussing issues affecting our region.
“The action of Amaechi is an evidence of the type of divisive and selfish leadership he is giving the APC in the state which is solely aimed at destroying the party at all cost for his personal gain in keeping with his vows.”
