2023: Loyalists Of Amaechi Dump APC Days After He Told Them To Vote For Party’s Candidate

Some strong supporters and allies of the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have started dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

The development has revived worrying signs that all may not be well with the APC in Rivers State a few months before the 2023 general elections.

In the last one week, Naija News reports some of Amaechi’s loyalists who have dumped the APC include; Dawari George, Marvin Yobana, Nkemka Amadi and Robinson Elechi.

His former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari is the latest to join the trend, Naija News understands.

This development comes just a few days after he appealed to his supporters not to be angry but to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 elections.

Speaking on Saturday, July 2 in Port Harcourt, Amaechi told his supporters not to be discouraged by the outcome of the APC presidential primaries but to go all out and ensure the party emerges victorious at the polls.

Naija News reports Amaechi emerged second during the primaries in Abuja, losing out to former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Addressing thousands of his supporters who came to welcome him and followed him from the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, to the APC state secretariat in Port Harcourt, Amaechi said no matter their feelings about the outcome of the primaries, APC is the party they must vote for.

Semenitari, a former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) like others before her, however, didn’t reveal the next political party they’ll be pitching their tents with.

Semenitari in her resignation letter wrote: “I write to resign my membership of APC with effect from today.

“I appreciate the friendship, camaraderie and opportunities that this platform has provided me to serve my state, region and country even as I wish the party well.”

As earlier reported by Naija News, George, a former commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources under Amaechi confirmed his resignation from the APC on Friday, July 8, 2022.

His letter of resignation was addressed to the Chairman, APC Ward 1, in Asari-Toru local government of Rivers State.

Though he didn’t give any reason for his decision to dump the APC, the former Commissioner was one of the governorship aspirants who lost out when the 19 leaders of the party adopted Tonye Cole as the consensus candidate of APC for the Rivers 2023 governorship election.

Yobana, in his own resignation letter, cited some party activities which are in conflict with his personal interest and political ideology as reasons for quitting the party.

Amaechi had however promised to intervene in the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

Amaechi told journalists that he is back to the state to settle the rancour among APC members, noting that anytime there’s a transition in the party, people are bound to have disagreements.