Ministerial screening: Rivers APC woos Senate over Amaechi

All Progressives Congress, APC, has appealed to the Senate to give former governor, Chibuike Amaechi, special concession during its screening of ministerial nominees tomorrow.

Rivers State chapter of the party in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya, commended the Senate for its decision to be thorough in the screening, but appealed to it not to totally discard the tradition of asking deserving ones to take a bow and go.

“We wish to respectfully appeal to the distinguished Senate to put Rt. Hon. Amaechi on the list of nominees to be honoured with the ‘bow and go’ tradition because he is a former lawmaker.

“Apart from being Speaker of a State House of Assembly for eight years (1999 to 2007), he also meritoriously served as Chairman of the Nigerian Speakers Forum, thereby greatly contributing to the legislative evolution of Nigeria,” the party said.

APC also said Amaechi was one of the few Nigerians who enjoyed the privilege of being elected governor of a state for two consecutive terms and is the only Nigerian who has served for two terms as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

“Based on the above facts coupled with the revolutionary leadership of Amaechi during his eight years in Rivers State, we appeal to the Senate to ignore the ranting of certain persons bent on pulling down the former governor,” it said.

Their frustration, the party said, “stems from the fact that Amaechi led the battle that ousted the evil administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“We equally appeal to ignore the misguided petitions by Senator George Sekibo and his co travellers and accord Amaechi his due respect as a great and patriotic Nigerian by allowing him to take a bow and go during the screening exercise.

“In addition, Amaechi’s great sacrifices that helped to bring about the present change in the country are well known and have been widely acknowledged by people from various walks of life.

“We are confident that our great Senators will follow suit by asking this patriotic Nigerian, whose love for a strong, virile and united Nigeria is infectious to take a bow and go when he appears before them in the days ahead,” the statement concluded.