Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential hopeful, has said his experience in containing militancy in Rivers State as governor, will come handy if elected president of Nigeria in 2023.
Amaechi stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Aminu Bello Masari at the state government house on Monday.
The minister explained that having been in public office for over two decades, he possessed the requisite knowledge and technical know-how to tackle insecurity, and provide better governance for Nigerians.
“Your Excellency, you are the first Governor I’m visiting after declaring to run for the President of Nigeria in 2023, I will visit others as I progress with my consultations. I have visited three to four Emirates which are under your jurisdiction,” he said.
“I have come to also brief you on how far we’ve gone with the railway construction, an assignment given to us by the President. I am here to also tell you that I am interested to run for the office of the President of Nigeria.
“Sir, I am qualified and I am the only candidate who has governed a State when there was militancy and within one year it reduced drastically. Under my watch, companies who left the state due to high level of insecurity returned. Shell Petroleum Company reopened and normalcy returned to the State.
“So, I have the experience to manage crisis and provide good governance and I believe that with this kind of experience, having been in public office for eight years as a Governor, and two times Speaker of the State House of Assembly, seven years as Minister and also chaired the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the Speakers’ Forum, and also as twice, the Director General of President Buhari’s Presidential Campaign, I should be in the best position to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there’s a need for you to assist me in actualizing this ambition,” he said.
Responding, Governor Aminu Masari said he had no doubt about the Minister’s leadership qualities. He also used the occasion to wish him well in his political aspiration.
“Now that you have formerly declared your intentions to run for the office of the President, I have no doubt that you are active, and in your style of inclusiveness, I wish you well,” Masari said.
As part of his political consultations in the North West, the Minister also visited the Emirs of Daura, Katsina, Bichi, and Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero of the Kano Emirate Council.