Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A group within the Delta State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Anioma Youths Mandate for Buhari (AYMB) on Tuesday expressed worries over alleged continued media attacks on the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.
The latest of such unabated attacks was the allegation that the Minister was covertly working against the interest of APC in Delta State so as to ensure that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is re-elected in 2019.
But the AYMB in a statement by its coordinator, Norbert Sochukwudinma dismissed it as baseless and unfounded, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore such allegations which are targeted at ensuring that Kachikwu loses his place as a Minister.
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The group said the allegations were the handiwork of a faceless political jobbers and desperadoes within the state chapter of the ruling APC, reiterating that Mr. Kachikwu has been a pillar to the party both financially and otherwise.
Sochukwudinma maintained that no amount of blackmail can pull the minister down as long as he carries out his official duties in line with the change mantra of the present administration of President Buhari.
Insisting that the allegations are baseless, AYMB maintained that it is the same group of people accusing the Minister that are the ones openly and clandestinely working against the progress of the party in the state by thwarting Kachikwu’s many efforts at re-building the APC.
They pointed to various fora where the Minister had openly declared his desire to work with all party leaders to ensure President Buhari and all APC candidates emerge victorious including the Governorship election in the state.
The statement read: “Just weeks back, in his unrelenting efforts to actualise the takeover of Delta State by the APC, the Minister held a large but strategic meeting with selected grassroots leaders of the party from across state and in that meeting, he openly stressed that his cordial relationship with Governor Okowa cannot in any way be an impediment to delivering President Buhari and sacking Okowa come 2019.”
AYMB said the “Minister has continued to fund the party’s activities since 2015 aside the various leadership meetings he has consistently sponsored both in Delta and Abuja all in his effort to unify the crisis ridden party but for the continuous sabotage of his efforts by these same faceless group who has been on his shadows since 2015.”
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While calling for understanding and patience, the group noted that Kachikwu has created empowerment opportunities for several party leaders and members but stressed that it is difficult and almost impossible to empower everybody in the party at the same time.
They advised those who have adopted blackmailing as a political strategy in filling their pockets to desist from it forthwith as they are ready and adequately prepared to resist it.