2023 Presidency: El-Rufai Backs Amaechi Candidacy

The Minister for transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he is prepared to be Nigeria’s President in 2023 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

He stated this when he met with APC delegates in Kaduna State. Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufa’i has described the presidential hopeful as Buhari’s loyalist and confidant.

“There was a time I was in the opposition, and the DSS was looking for me. They wanted to arrest me. Amaechi told me where to go and wait for him. I waited, and he drove me to the DSS himself and insisted that I should be questioned and released to him the same day, and that was what happened. So, who is my friend? Who is my confidant?” El-Rufa’i said.

El-Rufai stated this two days after he and Kaduna delegates to the APC national convention endorsed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Murtala Square, Kaduna.

” I am young and the most experienced of all the presidential aspirants. The presidency requires the agility of a young man, and the elderly people should go home and rest,” Ama said.

Governor El-Rufai described Amaechi as his friend and confidant of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the former minister won  Buhari’s heart in 2011. As a PDP governor of Rivers State, he funded the convention of Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.

He said:  “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was here two days ago, and you promised him support. Today, here is my friend, my confidant; what will you say?

“Many people contesting election always say delegates will hardly make heaven because they don’t keep to promise, but I always say Kaduna delegates are different. You were in a hurry p

”Amaechi turned his back against his neighbour, Goodluck Jonathan and said he would follow Buhari. He held on to that trust. That is why Daura Emirate gave him the title of Dan Amanan Daura.

“We are followers of Buhari. It is what he tells us that we do. So, here is my friend and Buhari’s loyalist. What are you going to do? You should know, after today’s discussion, there are going to be discussions.

“Others will come too, but who is your friend? Who is your loyalist? Your friend and your loyalist is someone who remembers you when you had nothing and nobody with you. Governor Amaechi gave that support, he did it for Buhari, and he did it for me.

“There was a time I was in the opposition, and the DSS was looking for me. They wanted to arrest me. Amaechi told me where to go and wait for him. I waited, and he drove me to DSS himself; and he insisted that I should be questioned and released to him the same day, which was what happened. So, who is my friend? Who is my confidant?”

“Now, I will ask you, people, two questions, one you can answer, the other you can choose not to answer. Have we agreed that it is justice that the presidency should go back to the south? The delegates replied to him yes.

“The second one is, Asiwaju came on Thursday, and now Amaechi is here. What are you going to say, or will you tell me later?”

Amaechi had earlier told the delegates that he would be resigning as the Minister of Transport today.

He said he was one of the youngest of all the Presidential aspirants in his party, the APC, saying,” our elders should go home and rest…I governed a state ravaged at the time by insecurity, but I  was able to tame the situation successfully.

” If elected President, I will do the same in Nigeria. I will continue with President Buhari’s Agricultural transformations to address hunger. The administration of President Buhari inherited poverty but has been able to change the situation positively.

“You need to vote for a candidate that will protect and provide for all regardless of region, religion and tribe, and that is what I am promising you.

“As speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, I was elected chairman of Nigerian speakers twice, and as governor, I have also elected chairman Nigeria Governors forum twice, it shows I have what it takes to govern.

”I am asking you not to waste Kaduna votes, please give me your votes, and I will come back to Kaduna to thank you.”