Prince Tonye Princewill, a businessman and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has said that people in APC in Abuja conspired with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to prevent a candidate of minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from becoming Governor in Rivers state.
Princewill said in an interview with Daily Post that the reason for the act was because if Amaechi has a Governor in Rivers state, he will be too influential in the Abuja equation for 2023.
Recall that a lengthy legal battle wedged by some members of the party led to the disqualification of the party in the state during the general elections.
“So unless Amaechi makes peace with his colleagues in Abuja, we cannot have peace in Rivers.
” In the meantime, he is doing his work as Minister of Transport oblivious to them. I admire his focus, but I will be constantly preaching peace”, Princewill said.
Commenting on Governor Wike’s threat to remove his father who is the Amanyanabo of Kalabari over a visit by the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, he said “we don’t need to wash our dirty linen in public.
“While we spend huge cash on media, lawyers and frivolous costs, our people are looking for school fees, food to eat or money to invest in business. Who loses? I thank my father for giving me the wisdom to not respond.
” We have a history of being very outspoken, especially on social media. Even secondary school children are posting political opinions on Facebook. During Odili it was not like that. But they were one family then.
” Now the family has broken up and they all think that they are equals. Besides, there is a benefit for being an equal or a close ally of an equal and that benefit is what politicians from 1999 have lived on. Stopping it now is not easy. That’s one reason.
“The second reason is outside influences. Rivers state is the donation capital of Nigeria. It’s influential just by virtue of its place in Nigeria. They don’t call it the Treasure base for nothing. Even if Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom like they should take more allocation, Rivers is still Number 1 in the eyes of everyone.
“So being a friend of our Governor is a career path for many citizens both inside and outside the APC”
When asked if he is interested in contesting for Governor come 2023, he said he is not going to be making the same mistake “my brother and former Senator friend (Abe) made by pushing for hundred before I even reach for one.
” The state of the party in the state is not conducive for any kind of electoral victory, let alone a Governor.
“A total root and branch overhaul is needed to address the fresh management that we need.
” Unless you want to change parties as a protest. Not me. I have done that before. Doesn’t work. Becoming Governor in Rivers state is not a one man show. It requires a team effort and if you are talking of APC in Rivers state, Amaechi is the undisputed leader of that team. The grassroots believe in him and so without his support, you can’t win.
“2023 is miles away, if we take care of the little things, other things will take care of themselves. I have shown that I’m not desperate to be the one on the chair. All I want is for Rivers state to move forward. It must not be me.
” But move forward it must. Amaechi is the leader in the state. If you don’t want his leadership, it’s not a cult, you can operate outside him. But let us avoid bringing each other down publicly for the sake of our party faithful, for the sake of our state and for the sake of our region. It’s not worth it. We can agree to disagree agreeably. Weakening APC strengthens PDP. I cannot support that”.
