The Rivers State Governor and Director General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, and a former Minister of Aviation and Director of Media and Publicity of Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, targeted diatribes at each other Sunday, exchanging abuses on television
.In his words: “I knew Amaechi when he was wearing a cloth every day for three days and I don’t believe that I belong on the same social or intellectual level with him”
Messrs Amaechi and Fani-Kayode were guests on a Channels Television programme, Politics Today.
Speaking first, Mr. Amaechi had dismissed Mr. Fani-Kayode as someone who “does not have credibility”.
The Rivers Governor was responding to a question from anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, who quoted Mr. Fani-Kayode as alleging that the APC was planning to rig the forthcoming elections.
In response, Mr. Amaechi said, “Fani-Kayode does not have credibility. If the right person speaks, then we will respond. Fani-Kayode lacks the credibility. Let’s move to another issues.”
Mr. Fani-Kayode later came on the programme, following Mr. Amaechi’s departure.
He responded angrily to Mr. Amaechi’s comments, saying the governor was not on the same intellectual and social level with him.
“Perhaps, it is only in Nigeria that a man with his background, in spite of the things he did when he was young; in spite of the things he did when he was in the university, could become a governor. By the way he became governor without even winning an election,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.
“That’s a man who talks about credibility. That’s a man who claimed pastors in this country were given 6 billion by the government to vote for the PDP. This is a man that went as far as to say if the APC lost the presidential election he would form a parallel government. This is a man that told the whole world that as far as he was concerned he was prepared to do anything to become the vice presidential candidate of the APC.”
He said Mr. Amaechi, because of his vice-presidential ambition, betrayed the PDP, the people of Rivers State and his predecessor, Peter Odili.
He said Mr. Amaechi and other APC leaders found him credible when he was opposing the government as member of the opposition party, which he called “darkness”.
Mr. Fani-Kayode said the presidential candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, when vying for the ticket of the party, promised him [Fani-Kayode] a key position in his campaign team should he win the ticket.
However, he said he turned down the offer, claiming he told Mr. Buhari “I can never support you General Buhari”.
