As Nigerians continue to wait on the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to formally make public his intention to run for the 2023 presidential election, a group of Nigerians in the diaspora has joined dozens of several other organizations to beckon on the former Rivers Governor to throw his cap into the ring as a matter of urgency as Nigeria is dire need of his services.
Disclosing the development via a statement made available to media houses, erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwumeka Eze said the diaspora group under the aegis of Amaechi Vanguard, United Kingdom, led by Barr. Samuel Wosu, Mr. Darlington Beke and Dr Elizabeth Achinewhu Nworgu, the President, the General Secretary/Publicity Secretary and Vice President of Amaechi Vanguard UK respectively made their position known through an action paper released at the end of their stakeholders meeting in Europe.
According to Chief Eze, the group’s decision was informed by the Minister’s sterling leadership and exceptional track records of achievements in his previous and current assignments in public service.
Stressing that the time is ripe for Nigerians to choose a president that understands the importance of economic growth, revitalisation of the private sector, improving quality of life, and the importance of good governance and security as strategies to drive the nation’s development, the group emphasized that only Rt. Hon. Amaechi is stocked with the requisite leadership skills and public service knowledge to set the pace and make the needed difference in the Nigerian polity.
Excerpts extracted from the group’s statement said they are privileged to reside in the western world where political leadership is a huge responsibility to the elects owing to the fact that those in public offices are obliged to meet social responsibilities of governance ranging from a constant supply of electricity, good water, roads, housing, transportation, education, healthcare, employment, and security. The lack of the above listed, they said is a limiting factor that has deterred many Nigerian professionals and other citizens in diaspora in need to relocate back home and contribute to development of the nation with their wealth of experience.
“However, to re-engineer the body of politics that will be geared towards economic development, security of life and properties of our nation Nigeria, we undertook an underground valuation of some Nigerians, their past and present antecedents in corporate and political leadership. Our opinion following this analysis concludes that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has the vast knowledge and the political knowhow to remodel/drive every sector of the economy if given the opportunity to lead Nigeria.”
The group said Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as a speaker of Rivers State house of assembly unified the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly when he held sway as its chairman.
As Governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, the group said his first assignment was the diminishing of so many outlawed criminal groups that caused insecurity in the state, which paved the way for the restoration of law and order. “Immediately he secured lives and properties, he quickly engaged in infrastructural development. This gave birth to the building of model primary and secondary schools in virtually every community and local government in Rivers State. He pushed this quest to other sectors of the economy and constructed standard roads, bridges, ring road flyovers, hospitals, healthcare centres, farms, foreign scholarships to Rivers indigenes and non-indigenes, employment of 13,200 teachers, free education for primary to secondary schools, provided school uniforms & books for primary school pupils, empowerment of indigenous contractors, and motivated the relocation of NLNG corporate headquarters to Port Harcourt for equity etc.”
“As a minister of transportation, it is glaring to all of us that this man, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is gradually redefining our transportation system that was previously dependent on car and airplane to train and waterways. No wonder the new adjective to qualify him now is Mr. Connect Nigeria.”
“We the Nigerians in diaspora (Europe), call upon the Rt, Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi after a thorough analysis of your outstanding performance in your previous and present political position, to lead Nigerians to a better and brighter future come 2023.”
Chief Eze commended the group for beaming their searchlight and finding Amaechi a fit and proper person to lead the country into her Canaan.
He therefore appealed to the Minister to heed the clarion call on him and make himself available for the country’s top job, to save Nigeria and her people from collapse and set her on the path of true progress.
Ends.