A Niger Delta activist, Ms. Annkio Briggs, has said the South-South would not have enjoyed any benefits if the All Progresives Congress, APC, had picked a running mate for its presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammed Buhari (retd.) from the region.
The APC, on Wednesday, named a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), as its vice-presidential candidate.
Prior to Osinbajo’s emergence, there were media speculations that two Governors from the South-South, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Adams Oshiomhole of Edo were in top contention for the vice-presidential slot of the opposition party.
In her reaction to the development, Briggs, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said the South-South was contented with the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from the region.
She said, “I am not a member of the APC, and whoever they choose as their running mate is up to them. But for me, I will not support the party. I don’t see the logic in having a vice-president from the South-South when we already have a South-South president.
“Amaechi was supposedly elected as Governor of Rivers in 2007 on the platform of the PDP and again in 2011. All the while, there was development in the region because the resources were being used to benefit the people.
“It wasn’t until he defected to the APC that we stopped enjoying the resources of Rivers State.
“I don’t see how the APC’s choice of a vice-presidential candidate from the South-South would have been of any benefit to us. We are happy to have a South-South indigene as President,” she said.
