It was reported that the former Minister of transportation and former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, expressed frustration with the general public’s apparent calmness amid severe economic hardship.
Amaechi, speaking during an interview with ABN TV, questioned why Nigerians are not more vocal in their outrage, pointing to rising costs and the inability of many to afford necessities such as fuel.
The former Governor of Rivers said even he can no longer afford diesel and he expected youths to storm different streets and protest against the high cost of living.
According to him, “I’m angry with the citizens. I have said it several times. You can see a group of people stealing your money, impoverishing you, you cannot buy fuel or anything. The people should be angry. There should be protests against nobody but against the politicians that ‘we won’t vote’.
He added, “That is what people should be saying. The rate of hunger now… if people like us cannot afford diesel, you can imagine what is happening to those who do not have. Somebody said what this govt has achieved is that it has made Nigerians to be strong in the sense that people now trek.”
Reacting to this comments, the All Progressive Congress APC Party lambasted the former Minister, saying Amaechi’s comments are insensitive, god-awful and unpatriotic.
The Party said coming from one of Nigeria’s longest serving and highest ranking political freeloaders – a two-term Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, a two-term Governor, and a two-term Minister of Transport.
According to the statement released by the Party Spokesman, Felix Morka who stated that Nigerians will not be cajoled into taking back through street violence what they have handed to this govt through the ballot, as Amaechi and his partisan tribesmen would wish.
“For almost all of his adult life, Amaechi, has been a leechy dependant on state resources, a voracious beneficiary of official patronage, and a leading participant in the generational devastation of our country’s economy. 
“Attempting to hoodwink Nigerians into his web of false empathy and incitement to violence is hypocritical, provocative and dangerous.
If those in power “steal money” as Amaechi mischievously alleged, how come he can’t afford “to buy diesel” barely two years after “stealing” for over 24 years in power as Speaker, Governor and Minister?
“The only real anger that Amaechi and his fellow tribesmen of naysayers of the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, must feel is that they are not in the saddle of government today.
“But that was a decision made by Nigeria’s ultimate political authority – the electorate. Nigerians are highly perceptive, discerning, demure.“And mindful that economic discomforts associated with administration’s inevitable reforms are transient and will pale into insignificance in comparison to the enduring transformative dividends which are already beginning to manifest”.
The Party said further that one would expect Amaechi to keep busy trying to solve the crippling crisis in Rivers state that he once governed. “Instead, he has chosen to stoke anarchy on a national scale.
“Weaponizing protest and exploiting citizen’s economic discomfort for selfish political objective, as these partisan tribesmen are doing, is irresponsible and decidedly unpatriotic.
The APC urged Nigerians to dismiss the call to anarchy by Amaechi and his partisan tribesmen, to remain patient and continue to support President Bola Tinubu’s bold effort to transform the country’s economy once and for all.
