A group, Buhari Movement for Change (BMC) has alleged that Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources is working hand-in-hand with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not take over the reins of government in the state in 2019.

In a petition addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari which was also copied to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of APC, the group in a statement signed by its President, David Iwere, Secretary, Erefoluwa Keka and Spokesperson, Dr. Emiko Ofuyaekpone, the group said Kachikwu patronises Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and other PDP businessmen while frustrating investors who are loyal members of the APC in the state.

The statement reads: “Your Excellency, while we will continue to propagate your enviable achievements and work tirelessly for the growth of All Progressive Congress, APC, we are constrained to publicly draw your attention to actions of the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, which almost killed the growth of All Progressives Congress in Delta State in favour of Peoples Democratic Party.

“Rather than take up leadership responsibility of APC in Delta State, ensuring that members of the party are united with a view to taking over administration of Delta State Government House in 2019, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu is working with Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP under the guise of being a technocrat.

“We have it on good authority that Dr. Kachikwu hobnobs and patronizes Governor Okowa as well as businessmen who are members of PDP, thus frustrating investors in Delta State that are leaders of All Progressives Congress, APC. In-fact, most of our APC leaders who have shown capacity, professionalism and have structures on ground in the Oil and Gas sector, are virtually going out of business, while their counterparts in the PDP are flourishing and even taking glory for your administration’s achievements in that sector.

“Mr. President, whenever APC leaders in the State are privileged to ask the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources what his relationship with businessmen who are members of PDP intends to achieve, his excuse will be that he’s wooing them to APC, but till date, none of such associates of Dr. Kachikwu are in APC, instead they continue to enjoy stronger political and economic ties with Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

“It is critical to note that this counter-productive decoy of Dr. Kachikwu started when you appointed him as then Group Managing Director of NNPC/Minister of State For Petroleum Resources, a dual portfolio that is the first in the history of Nigeria. We would be tempted to mention the names of the PDP businessmen and their companies, which Dr. Kachikwu patronized to promote the fortune of PDP in the Niger Delta at large and Delta State in particular in subsequent publications. This has become imperative as a result of the faulty foundation Dr. Kachikwu laid, which is today being used to railroad and blackmail the current GMD of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kachalla Baru and the MD of NPDC, Yusuf S. Matashi into doing the bidding of PDP against your administration’s agenda as well as that of the APC.

“Unfortunately, the Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kachalla Baru is following the footsteps of Dr. Kachikwu under the guise of preventing pipeline vandalism and sabotage. Maybe Dr. Kachikwu and Dr. Baru are telling us that APC members in Delta State who are indigenous investors in the oil and gas industry as well as government security agencies can’t perform their legitimate responsibility.

“Frustratingly as well, is the award of pipeline maintenance/surveillance jobs to members of PDP, even though records show that oil and gas investors in the Niger Delta, particularly in Delta State, determine political leadership and party growth.

“We dare to say that the body language of Dr. Ibe Kachikwu is technically preparing the ground for Dr. Okowa’s re-election in 2019. At this juncture, we must stress that all efforts will be geared towards the victory of Delta State APC Governorship candidate in the 2019 polls, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, no matter the antics of PDP moles in the APC, who are thriving as a result of appointments they got from your administration.

“While there are indications that Dr. Kachikwu may be fueling the divisive tendencies in our great party, APC in Delta State, we equally heard from credible sources that Dr. Kachikwu was advised by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to drop the three Political Advisers recommended to him by leaders of the APC in Delta State. It must be noted that the essence of the appointments, which was aborted halfway by Dr. Kachikwu, was to create a fertile ground for APC to have stronger roots in Delta South, Delta Central and Delta North senatorial districts of the state.

“Mr. President, we want to respectfully appeal to you to keep a close watch of some members of your cabinet, who are sabotaging your efforts with a view to terminating their appointments since they have become fifth columnists in your administration. Dr. Kachikwu should be directed to desist from the deliberate economic shut-out of APC members in the oil and gas sector in Delta State and stop romancing with PDP led Delta State government to the detriment of APC members, since we only have few months to the 2019 elections and our short term target is to ensure that you win the entire Niger Delta apart from other parts of the country,” the statement said.

•Sourced from Daily Independent report

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