The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi (APC), who is popularly called the Lion of Ubima for his role in President Buhari’s defeat of President Jonathan had a Twitter slap exchange with promoter of the ‘Commonsense Revolution’ Senator, Ben Bruce (PDP), on Sunday.
The first shot was fired by a popular blogger and Buhari supporter, Japhet Omojuwa, who tweeted that Ben Bruce should not be taken seriously.
He had said:
“The reason I will NEVER take people like Ben Bruce serious is because when they saw a leader (GEJ) do wrong, they kept quiet. Don’t be Bruce.”
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) February 6, 2016
In response, Senator Bruce brought up the recent comments credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that some Nigerians are giving the country a bad image by engaging in criminal activities around the world. Senator Bruce condemned President Buhari’s statement and wrote on his twitter page that:
“Your own minister spent ₦80 million on a one day dinner, yet it is your citizens you accuse of being criminals #IAmANigerianNotACriminal”.
That statement by Murray Bruce made Rotimi Amaechi see red as his administration (when he was Governor of Rivers State) was recently accused of spending N80 million to organise a dinner for Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka. An enraged Amaechi referred to Murray Bruce as a coward unfit to sit in the Senate Chambers. He said:
“A coward who is not bold enough to name the minister that he alleged criminally spent N80M on dinner is unfit to sit in our senate chambers.”
Premium Times reports that Mr. Amaechi’s spokesperson, David Iyofor, confirmed that the Twitter handle used in responding to Senator Murray-Bruce (@ChibuikeAmaechi) belongs to Rotimi Amaechi. He also stated that Amaechi’s response was triggered by Senator Bruce.
Also read http://baroness-j.com/2016/02/07/dokpesi-apologises-to-tinubu-over-boudillion-documentary/
Responding to the attack by Amaechi, @benmurraybruce tweeted, “When you have been Wike’d, you become wicked! But you will always be my beloved brother, no matter how much you transfer the anger on me.”
Amaechi then responded by accusing the Bayelsa Senator of only finding his voice on Twitter while hardly ever contributing to debates in the Senate. He said:
“I will not respond to innuendos. Be courageous, name the minister. We know you talk here & do ‘siddon’ look where you are elected to talk.”