As the consultations with delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the country by Presidential Aspirant and former Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi continue to attract high profile support, a former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has endorsed the former Minister, stating that his loyalty and love for Nigeria and humanity is unmatched.
Buratai who is currently, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, gave this endorsement at a parley with delegates of the APC in Bauchi, Wednesday night, when he and other dignitaries accompanied the Presidential hopeful, Chibuike Amaechi to solicit delegates’ support in Bauchi ahead of the party’s primaries.
Burutai stated that he was spurred to give his support to Amaechi due to his outstanding profile and vast experience in governance.
He said, “You can see from the introduction, the experience of our Presidential aspirant. The profile of Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is quite intimidating. He has proven to be a sound administrator, a versatile leader, a good strategist and a politician per excellence, who has shown good qualities in all areas he had worked. As Speaker, as Governor, as Minister and also first among equals during his tenure as Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, as well as the dexterity and the quality of the campaign (for President Buhari) that he led on two occasions. That is why I am giving him my full support.
“He did that diligently with all his determination, loyalty and of course with love for Nigeria and love for humanity irrespective of what religion you belong to. This is quite commendable, that’s why he’s here today to solicit for your votes. From what you have heard about him, I believe you know that he’s the man of the moment. He is the right choice. So, I urge you to make the right choice and vote for him,” Buratai said.
Addressing the delegates, Amaechi said he is the only aspirant in the party with impressive records that would defeat the opposition party. He urged the delegates to vote for him for the overall benefit of all Nigerians.
According to him, “This is the moment of decision. For twenty two years, I have held public office, as Speaker, as Governor and as Minister. And in all of these, you will see my footprint. There’s a railway construction going on from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. It includes Bauchi and it’s called the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway. If you vote for me, that project will be completed and it will create employment. So vote for me, make me the candidate of the party. I doubt that the other aspirants have the capacity to defeat me, If you vote for me I will defeat PDP.”
Earlier, at a visit to the Emir of Bauchi, HRM Dr. Rilwan Suleiman Adamu, Amaechi used the occasion to re-emphasize his commitment to deliver on infrastructure and tackle insecurity if elected.
“Your Highness, I am here to seek for your blessings, to appeal to the Bauchi delegates to give me their votes on the day of the primaries, because there is no aspirant in our party that is as prepared as I am to be the President of Nigeria.
“I have the energy, I have the capability, I have the knowledge and the strength to be the President of Nigeria. I have the experience of what the problems are and what the solutions should be and I’m seeking your support to provide solutions to those problems.
“One of the things I did to fight militancy in Port Harcourt was to create employment. I will introduce agricultural programmes to create jobs for the people. I will provide infrastructure in Bauchi, I am full of experience, If you vote for me I will chase the criminals away. I did it in Port Harcourt and Rivers State and I am prepared to do it again. I will do my best to restore security in the country. Please tell your people to vote for me and I will bring that experience to bear, Amaechi said.
Also, Chairman of APC in Benue State, Hon. Austin Agada, has declared total support of the State’s delegates to Rotimi Amaechi at the forthcoming Presidential primaries.
Agada made the disclosure at an interactive session organized for delegates of the party with Amaechi in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, on Thursday.
Speaking on behalf of the delegates, Agada said their decision became necessary following the sterling leadership qualities of the former Transport Minister.
He said, “Sir, we have heard from you, we want to tell you that even before you came, we know you. We want to appreciate your kind gesture to the Benue people in a very special way for supporting our sons. I want you to know that the Benue people love you so much and it is important you know this fact because while in your travails in Rivers State as Governor, it was as if it was happening to us here in Benue.
“Benue people ordinarily like a bold person, a fighter, someone that has what it takes to bring a new dimension as far as leadership is concerned. So, you are an attraction to the Benue people and that supports the fact that while you were in those travails, you fought for justice for Nigerians.
“We want you to know that Benue State is for you and that under your watch, your leadership as the then Director General of President Buhari’s Campaign Team, you did all you could to showcase a new kind of leadership for Nigerians. You have proven to Nigerians the stuff you are made of.
“As Speaker you made your mark, as Governor you made your mark, as Minister you have done your best for Nigerians and as President to be, I know you would do far more. I want you to know that Benue is totally with you considering the fact that you have us in mind and I also want you to know that this State is your second home. Feel free because the number of people working for you day and night in Benue, you can only imagine. Be rest assured that we are with you in prayer,” the Chairman said.
Speaking to the delegates, Amaechi said he would draw from his leadership experience to serve Nigerians. He made reference to how he tackled insecurity in Rivers State, and appealed to the delegates to vote for him because he knows the problems of the country and would proffer solutions to them if elected.
“When I became Rivers Governor, there were only two hundred Doctors in the State, but by the time I was leaving there were six hundred Doctors. Doctors didn’t have cars, by the time I was leaving I had bought six hundred cars for six hundred Doctors.
“By the time I left as the Governor I had employed 13,200 teachers and we did not employ Rivers people alone, we employed Nigerians. We did that because we needed to create an alternative to crime. The moment we fixed the economy, it gave people the opportunity to find productive work.
“Roads were constructed, we built flyovers, we gave scholarships to poor people’s children to study overseas and we gave each local government area twenty percent and non indegenes got twenty percent too. The next thing we did was to arm the Police and the Army and we equipped them and we fought the criminals. I am telling you this story because I told you that I am tested and trusted. So, vote for me because I am the most qualified,” Amaechi said.
