Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers has said that the kidnap of Freddy Ndigbara, his deputy Press Secretary, by unidentified gunmen was to directly get at him because of his ability to freely express his freedom of speech and opinion on national issues at variance to the ruling party.
Amaechi made this disclosure on live political programme on Channels television last night.
Amaechi wondered if kidnapping his aide would erase the fact that Nigerians are suffering under a bad economy where the naira has been so devalued that the exchange rate is now N215 to one US dollar.
He accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and federal government of being scared of the wind of change which his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has been preaching. He also claimed that the ‘change’ message is catching up like a wave across the country.
Amaechi alleged that PDP has been doing all it can to scuttle the use of the card reader by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because the party has never won in a free and transparent election.
“If they believe in free and transparent election where the card reader would identify the owner of PVC why are they going court to challenge its use by sponsoring court cases against it.”
He dismissed the rumoured illness of the Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the APC Presidential candidate, explaining that since the election was postponed for six weeks, the APC flagbearer went to go the UK and is billed to speak at the Chatham House on Thursday on the policies of the party if it wins the coming election.
However, Femi Fani Kayode, the campaign spokesman of President Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation who was also on the live Channels Television moments after said PDP was ever ready for the election and would defeat APC in next election.
He lashed at Amaechi for betraying his former mentor Dr.Peter Odili, alleging that, “Governor Amaechi wore one T-shirt for three when he was with Odili but has forgot where his is coming from”.
He accused Amaechi of locking up the courts in the state because of the fear that if the courts were open, he would he would be thrown out of power and put in jail.
Fani-Kayode said Amaechi cannot be talking about elections because he never won any election and only came to power through Supreme Court judgment.
Meanwhile, no word has been heard from the kidnappers on Ndigbara’s or have there been any news of his whereabout since he was kidnapped.
It was learnt from a family source this morning that the Ndigbara’s phone fell off his pocket as the kidnappers were bundling him into their Toyota SUV Highlander.
Security agencies have swung into action to ensure his quick release.
Mr. Ndigbara (popularly called Freddie), works with the Government House Press Unit. He was kidnapped yesterday at a ward rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kaani 1 (his community), in Khana Local Government Area of the state. – News.
