2023: Katsina Youths Endorse Ameachi.

(Ikechukwu Chukwudi, Asaba)

HE Chibike Rotimi Amaechi; Hon Minister of Transportation.

Despite 2023 elections being more than two years from now, attempts are being made from different quarters in the bid to answer the question of who succeeds President Muhammad Buhari when he completes his constitutionally prescribed period as President. 

With not a few persons showing interest in the contest through their body language, young Nigerians have also began to air their opinions as to show should best succeed Buhari.

Daily post on the 28th of December 2020 bore the news of a coaliation group of Youths in Katsina state identified as Movement of Ameachi For President 2023 (MARPS) Katsina State Chapter, has endorsed and registered their support for Minister of Transportation and the former governor of River State Rt Hon Rotimi Ameachi as successor to President Buhari after the end of his second term in 2023.

This is contained in their statement issued in Katsina state as published.

Providing the statement which is going round across online media platforms, National Director of Youths at the National Progressives Coalition (NAPROCIN) Comrace Ughere Daniel was captured posting thus:

(Their statement in full):

"It is time to start thinking of who will likely succeed President Buhari by 2023. We all know that North has its turn with the incumbent president who is from the region. Now its time for the South.

Among all the politicians from the South that are said to have shown interest in the race of becoming number one citizen of the country, Ameachi is the most resourceful, capable and youngest. He is vibrant, modern and digital. He has belief in one nigeria.

He joined politics in the university, he rose to the position of president of National Union of Rivers State Student.

In 1999 He contested and won a seat as member of the State House of Assembly and eventually elected as the speaker of River State House of Assembly.

He was elected the Chairman of Nigeria’s Conference of Speakers of State Assembly to serve for four years. In 2003 he was re-elected as member and speaker of River State House of Assembly.

Ameachi became the Governor of River State in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.

These positions He held made him very resourceful, as a Governor he achieved a lot in infrustructural development. He constructed roads & bridges that connected all parts of state by road.

He began building of rail line in Port Harcourt that will provide means of mass transportation in the city. To improve power supply he built 3 power plants in Rivers state, namely Afam, Trans Amadi and Onne power plants.

His believe in justice and fair play made him to part ways with president Jonathan when he insisted that he would contest for president of Nigeria in 2015. Something that Ameachi believes was unjust and against the rotation agenda between North and South. For that he defected from PDP and joins APC when he supported Northern candidate.

The role he played in ensuring Buhari won the 2015 and 2019 Presidential elections can never be over emphasized. He served as the D.G campaign of Buhari for President in 2015 and 2019.

He was appointed as the minister of Transportation in 2015, a position that made him to be named: “father of modern rail system” in Nigeria.

He initiated and succeeded in implementing the policy of China – Nigeria bilateral agreement for constructing rail line network in Nigeria.

To domesticate the technology he requests

China to build, fund and equip the University of Transportation Technology in Nigeria; which the construction is on – going in Daura, Katsina state.

He completed the Abuja – Kaduna rail line.

He completed the Abeokuta – Warri rail line.

He completed the Lagos – Ibadan rail line.

He is now constructing Ibadan – Kano rail line.

He has secured the approval of building Maiduguri – Port Harcourt modern rail line at the cost of over 3 billion dollars.

He also secured the approval of Kano – Maradi rail line which will cost about 1.9 billion dollars.

His role in the successes recorded by the present administration can never be over emphasized.

He completed and put to work the Baro and Anambra mini ports.

He rehabilitated Onne, Tincan, Warri and Delta ports.

He has the highest number of completed and commissioned projects among the ministers of President Buhari.

Recently President Buhari commended the effort of Ameachi as the Minister of Transportation when he commissioned Abeokuta – Warri rail line, He said “ Ameachi deserves a higher responsibility”. To our own understanding the higher responsibility here is President.

I will like to use this medium to appeal to Hon. Minister of Transportation to put into consideration, the rail line from Zaria to Funtua to Gusau and Kauran Namoda, if possible extend it to Sokoto & Kebbi states.

 

The recent pronouncement of suspension on Ameachi by some sponsored elements that shamelessly called themselves party leaders in Rivers state is nothing but a poisonous thought that no sane person would consume, and it was born out of growing antipathy towards the support he is gaining from every nook and cranny in the country.

We therefore urged Nigerians to shun that smear campaign against the person of Ameachi and focus on his loudable achievements as speaker, governor and the Minister of Transportation, they should redirect their search light toward his potentials, political outlook, ideology and perception about unity of Nigeria.

We all know that  some politicians from the South that are eyeing the seat of President had at one point in time called for the division of Nigeria or compromised its unity.

Ameachi is the only person with no history of such blunder, that was as a result of his belief in one united Nigeria. This proves that if he is elected as the president he will undoubtedly gives all region and religion equal opportunity and treatment. We urged Nigerians to be cautious in selecting who will succeed president Buhari  by 2023 that we would not regret.

Finally, having seen his profile and achievements, and after thorough consultation from all 19 Northern states,  our forum under the leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Badamasi is hereby calling on His Excellency Chibuke Rotimi Ameachi to come out publically and announce that he will contest for the President of Nigeria in 2023. We are also calling on his immediate family, relatives, political associates, friends, colleagues to please plead with him to answer our call and come to the rescue of our dear nation.

We want the general public to note that we will not relent and we will do everything possible, we can go extra miles to make sure that he answer our call.

Thank you

God bless Nigeria."

The statement was signed by Mannir Salisu Mohammed, Publicity Secretary of the forum.