A FORMER Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed frustration with the general public’s apparent calmness amid severe economic hardship.
Speaking during an interview with ABN TV, Amaechi questioned why Nigerians are not more vocal in their outrage, pointing to rising costs and the inability of many to afford basic necessities such as fuel.
The former governor of Rivers said even he can no longer afford diesel.
Amaechi said he expected youths to storm different streets and protest against the high cost of living.
He said: “I’m angry with the citizens. I have said it several times. You can see a group of people stealing your money, impoverishing you, you cannot buy fuel and anything.
“The people should be angry. There should be protests. Not even protests against anybody but against the politicians that ‘we won’t vote’.
“That is what people should be saying. The rate of hunger now… if people like us cannot afford diesel, you can imagine what is happening to those who do not have children like us.
“Somebody said what this government has achieved is that it has made Nigerians to be strong in the sense that Nigerians now trek.”
Commenting on the political situation in Rivers, he described the state as the capital of betrayals in Nigeria politics.
This newspaper reports that Rivers state has continued to trend over the political differences between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesome Wike.
Wike, now minister of the FCT installed Fubara, his former Accountant General, before the duo fell apart.
He once served as the Chief of Staff to Amaechi.
But their romance was short lived and degenerated after Wike’s election as Rivers State Governor in 2015.
Observers have described the Rivers state situation as a repeat of history.
But in the video, Ameachi, who took a swipe at all the politicians in the state, said he mentored most of them.
He described them as betrayals who can stab someone in the back for a snack.
According to him, all of them passed through him and “can’t stand hunger”.
He said: “Name one politician in Port Harcourt that didn’t pass through me, they can’t stand hunger.
“Rivers State has become the capital of betrayals, just name one politician who didn’t pass through me”.
The former APC presidential aspirant further said he doesn’t sponsor thuggery because he wants to make heaven.
“You will not see me in any political meeting planning for thugs, you will not see me say this money is for thugs; I will not.
“My Priest tells me that anybody who dies in the course of that money, you will be held accountable; the society may not hold you accountable or send you to prison but God will not allow you into heaven because he will hold you accountable. I don’t want to miss heaven”.