Amaechi under fire over comment on Tinubu

Some supporters and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress have come hard on former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi over his claim that delegates who voted at the APC primary were bribed to influence the outcome of the convention.

Amaechi had claimed that many of those who were induced with money are now regretting their action.

Some of them, while reacting, said Amaechi was exhibiting traits of frustration after losing out to Tinubu.

A number of Amaechi’s loyalists have also risen to his defence, stating that the ex-minister did not mention any name while making the conjecture.

Director-General of Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation, Adebayo Shittu, said he found the utterances of Amaechi unbelievable.

He said, “Who is regretting what? Can Amaechi isolate himself from those he claimed to have induced delegates for votes? He, just like other aspirants at the APC primaries, cannot point fingers at others without implicating themselves.

“What does he mean by delegates are regretting they collected bribes for votes? Is he indirectly saying the governors who brought them collected bribes and expressing regret too? I wish to have an opportunity to square up with him on this kind of issues.”

“Amaechi’s outburst, just like few other noticeable ones, were obviously done out of frustration. I understand that when one loses an election, one is bound to hold grudges. You can’t rule that out. After all, we are human beings and Nigerians,” he added.

The Ekiti State Coordinator of Tinubu Support Organisation, Gabriel Babalola, also took a swipe at Amaechi and wondered how a former minister believed he could win the battle for the APC presidential ticket without working hard for it.

“Before any of them could wake up, Asiwaju had gone from state to state, from one traditional ruler to another asking for their support.

“How many traditional rulers did Amaechi visit before the convention? How many states did he visit? He must have spoken out of frustration,” Babalola said.

He said, “Amaechi, like some other aspirants and party members, may not be pleased with the fact that Asiwaju won the elections, especially with the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket playing out.

“I am quite sure the reaction would have been different if Tinubu didn’t head in that direction. Perhaps, everybody would have been fired up.”