A presidential hopeful on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, Chibuike Amaechi, has expressed his allegiance to President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC in his bid for the office of President of Nigeria.
Mr. Amaechi, who is also the nation’s transportation minister, spoke during a consultative meeting with executives, delegates and other party faithful at the Rivers State APC Secretariat on Friday, saying that in his bid to become The president of Nigeria, for which he is fully qualified, is neither desperate nor disloyal.
Mr. Amaechi explained: “It is sad that many politicians do not understand the concept of loyalty. Loyalty is not when you are not chosen, you become disloyal, loyalty means that you follow the man who leads you, that you have surrendered to his leadership. If you do not follow, it means that you are not loyal, you are only benefiting from the man politically and economically. The day that I cannot give you that economic reality is the day that you become disloyal.
“Let me tell you something about loyalty. In 2007, we were in a meeting and someone asked me if Dr. Peter Odili (former Governor of Rivers State) says that he will not run for Governor, what will he do? I said I will give up and support whoever he brings. We fought the battle for me to be governor because Dr. Odili called me and said ‘go to court’, otherwise we would have come together as a group and said we would support his election. But he called me and said ‘…go to court’.
“I am a very loyal person, and I wish the best to those who are disloyal, to those who want to do what they want, I wish them the best. Everyone will be given a chance, we will hold this presidential election, we will participate, and I am loyal to the President and I am loyal to the Party. If the party says it’s me, thank God. If the party says it’s not me, whoever the party chooses, I support. If the party and the president elect someone, I will support the person, if the party elects me, I will rejoice and thank God.” Mr Amaechi saying.
For his part, the president of the APC in Rivers state, Emeka Beke, assured Mr. Amaechi of the party’s support and votes in the presidential primaries.
“Sir, go home and sleep, the delegates from Rivers will vote for you, and I know that my brothers who are statutory delegates will vote for you, because all of us who are sitting here today from Rivers State have benefited from you, from your leadership and this is the time to pay you back. We will be with you.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank our brothers from other States, who have supported our leader Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, thank you all. Almighty God will be with you as you have chosen to be by his side.
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“But one thing I will tell you is that our leader is a man of one word. When he says yes, his yes is yes, when he says no, his no is no, and I know he is a man who will not forget everyone who was by his side. By the grace of God, you will be the presidential standard bearer, I will be the president who will produce Mr. President, I will be the president who will produce the governor of Rivers State,” he said.
Mr. Amaechi also visited the Rebisi Kingdom’s Paramount Ruler in Port Harcourt, Eze Victor Woluchem, who expressed satisfaction with the Minister of Transport’s decision to run for the post of President in 2023.
Eze Woluchem said: “You are our son in whom we are well pleased. On behalf of the traditional rulers present here, we welcome you home. This is not only his home, but also his pride and joy, because he once served here as a governor looking out for the people of Rivers, his people.”
“Your Excellency, Rivers State loves you for a reason. Their development projects have impacted and continue to impact our people and are all over the state for people to see.”
“Maybe I can’t list everything he’s done for this country. At the national level, as Minister of Transport, he has put Nigeria on the map as a country with a modern railway system, a modern seaport and facilities to improve our waterways and the industrialization that comes with it.
“In fact, the history of this State will be incomplete without the mention of his name. Nigerians are excited about the likely possibility of a Rotimi Amaechi presidency. You are indeed a champion among equals, so there is no doubt that you are the right person to take up the mantle of leadership of this great nation in 2023,” said the Monarch.
RT HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE APRIL 30, 2022