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Tag: Amaechi

  • I assure you of my commitment towards 2023 election – Amaechi writes Tinubu

    I assure you of my commitment towards 2023 election – Amaechi writes Tinubu

    Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has congratulated Bola Tinubu, on his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APCs) presidential candidate.

    Tinubu polled a total of 1,271 votes out of 2,102 to defeat Amaechi, who scored 316 votes during the party’s presidential primaries held at Eagles Square, Abuja.

    In a signed letter made available to TheNewGuru.com, Amaechi assured Tinubu of his commitment to support him ahead of the 2023 general election.

    It reads: “Dear Asiwaju, Congratulations on your well deserved victory at the PC Presidential Convention held on 07 – 08 June 2022 and extend my best wishes as you prepare for the 2023 Presidential Elections.

    “I am confident that your victory will re-energize the progressive ideals of our great party APC, buttressed by your mission of a Common Sense Revolution which led to the defeat of PDP in the 2015 general elections.

    “As you embark on this historic journey I wish to assure you of my commitment to your success at the polls in 2023 and ultimately look forward to providing the necessary support to ensure that we develop a prosperous country for all Nigerians

    “Please accept the assurances of my highest esteem

  • Presidential primary: Tinubu comfortably leading, closely followed by Amaechi

    Presidential primary: Tinubu comfortably leading, closely followed by Amaechi

    As counting and sorting of votes continues at the ongoing special convention of All Progressives Congress APC to elect presidential flag bearer, Ahmed Tinubu is comfortably leading, closely followed by Rotimi Amaechi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    From all indications, Ahmed Tinubu is set to be declared the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate with majority of the votes going his way.

    Yahaya Bello, Dave Umahi also made the list of aspirants who has gotten votes.

    Other aspirants in the election have not gotten any vote so far

  • APC Presidential primary: If I am not qualified don’t vote me – Amaechi urges delegates

    APC Presidential primary: If I am not qualified don’t vote me – Amaechi urges delegates

    A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the immediate past minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has urged delegates not to vote for him if he’s not qualified.

    He called on delegates to vote candidates based on experience and not financial rewards.

    Amaechi stated this while addressing delegates at the APC convention and presidential primary election at Eagle Square, Abuja.

    He commiserated with family of those that were killed at the St. Francis Catholic church Owo, by unknown gunmen.

    Amaechi who was a former speaker of Rivers state House of Assembly, a two term governor of the state, and two term minister of transport said he is most experienced and urged the delegates to vote him.

    ” I just turned 57 years and i might not be the youngest or the oldest but I have what it takes.

    “Don’t vote for me if I am not qualified. I am the most experienced among all the aspirants.

    “I was Speaker of Rivers state, Governor for two terms, Chairman of Governors forum twice and Minister transportation, again I served twice.

    “First in history of Nigeria, I led a campaign to remove a sitting government. As a governor I built 300 to 500 schools, 150 health centres, employed 600 doctors.

    “Built 500 roads, built power. Crime had reduced”, Amaechi stated.

    Amaechi is one of the aspirants from the South South region on the platform of the All Progressive Congress at the presidential primary.

    Though about six aspirants stepped down for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu so far.

  • Supreme Court dismisses Amaechi’s appeal against ‘N96bn fraud probe’

    Supreme Court dismisses Amaechi’s appeal against ‘N96bn fraud probe’

    The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, seeking to stop his probe into an alleged N96 billion fraud.

    Justice Adamu Jauro who led the seven-member panel of justices while delivering judgment dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

    The apex court affirmed the judgments of the High Court of Rivers and that of the Court of Appeal which had earlier dismissed the same suit for want of substance and merit.

    The court also asked the former minister to pay the respondents N1 million.

    Amaechi had approached the Supreme Court praying for an order of the court to prohibit his successor, Gov. Nyesom Wike from investigating his 8-year tenure as the executive governor of Rivers.

    The former governor represented by Lateef Fagbemi said the probe was aimed at witch-hunting, embarrassing, humiliating, and disgracing him in view of his political differences with his successor.

    The probe is for Amaechi to give account of how N96 billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was spent during his tenure.

    Wike had instituted a commission of inquiry to look into the alleged sale of valuable assets of the state during Amaechi’s tenure.

    The listed assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the award of contract for the execution of the MonoRail Project.

  • I’m more experienced than Osinbajo,Tinubu, others – Amaechi

    I’m more experienced than Osinbajo,Tinubu, others – Amaechi

    Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, a Presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he is more experienced than Osinbajo, Tinubu and other aspirants vying to clinch the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Amaechi stated this in an interview with newsmen shortly after an interactive session with APC delegates in Gombe on Saturday.

    “I am more experienced than all of them; I have been governor, minister and Speaker, all for two terms.

    “I have been a Director-General of President Buhari’s campaign. I have toured round the country, I took the President to the 36 states of the Federation.

    “I took my time to understand what is going on,” he said.

    He said he had gone round 31 states of the country and Gombe is the 31st state and from Sunday going forward “I will cover the remaining five states.”

    Earlier, he urged the delegates to vote for him for the overall benefits of all Nigerians.

    He said he had the energy, the capability and the strength to be the President. “I became House of Assembly member at 24, Governor at 44 and by God’s grace I will be President at 58.”

    He said if given the mandate, he would provide infrastructure in Gombe, he will introduce Agricultural programme to create jobs for the people.

    In the area of security, Amaechi said he would handle the matter appropriately because he has done it when he was the Governor of Rivers.

    In his speech earlier, Gov Inuwa Yahaya said Gombe is home for Amaechi because it’s purely APC state. “We have all the three Senators and our six House of Representatives members are APC, 19 out of 24 Assembly members are APC.

    He said Amaechi had shown the capacity to deliver any political position, going by his credentials from being Honorable member, Right Honorable Speaker, Governor to Minister and only God knows if you get to that level you’re aspiring to, all your political dreams would have been sealed,” he said

    He said Gombe is ready for him. “As a leader of the party in the state, I want to assure you that these delegates you have seen are speaking with one voice. We will stand and fight and return APC Government by God’s grace,” he said.

  • I’m more experienced than Osinbajo, Tinubu, others – Amaechi

    I’m more experienced than Osinbajo, Tinubu, others – Amaechi

    Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, a Presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he is more experienced than Osinbajo, Tinubu and other aspirants vying to clinch the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Amaechi stated this in an interview with newsmen shortly after an interactive session with APC delegates in Gombe on Saturday.

    “I am more experienced than all of them; I have been governor, minister and Speaker, all for two terms.

    “I have been a Director-General of President Buhari’s campaign. I have toured round the country, I took the President to the 36 states of the Federation.

    “I took my time to understand what is going on,” he said.

    He said he had gone round 31 states of the country and Gombe is the 31st state and from Sunday going forward “I will cover the remaining five states.”

    Earlier, he urged the delegates to vote for him for the overall benefits of all Nigerians.

    He said he had the energy, the capability and the strength to be the President. “I became House of Assembly member at 24, Governor at 44 and by God’s grace I will be President at 58.”

    He said if given the mandate, he would provide infrastructure in Gombe, he will introduce Agricultural programme to create jobs for the people.

    In the area of security, Amaechi said he would handle the matter appropriately because he has done it when he was the Governor of Rivers.

    In his speech earlier, Gov Inuwa Yahaya said Gombe is home for Amaechi because it’s purely APC state. “We have all the three Senators and our six House of Representatives members are APC, 19 out of 24 Assembly members are APC.

    He said Amaechi had shown the capacity to deliver any political position, going by his credentials from being Honorable member, Right Honorable Speaker, Governor to Minister and only God knows if you get to that level you’re aspiring to, all your political dreams would have been sealed,” he said

    He said Gombe is ready for him. “As a leader of the party in the state, I want to assure you that these delegates you have seen are speaking with one voice. We will stand and fight and return APC Government by God’s grace,” he said.

  • I used to chase criminals without bulletproof vest in Rivers – Amaechi

    I used to chase criminals without bulletproof vest in Rivers – Amaechi

    Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has revealed that he used to chase criminals without bulletproof vest while serving as the governor of River State.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that Amaechi made a pledge that fighting insecurity in Nigeria is his major priority if voted as president in 2023.

    The former Rivers State governor resigned from his position as Transportation Minister following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive for his appointees who are seeking elective positions to step down.

    His media office quoted him as saying; “I know what you’re suffering, I was governor of Rivers State when they were kidnapping two months old children, and I never slept until everybody slept.

    “General Buratai is not here today, he would have told you the story. Buratai, myself the former Inspector General of Police (Suleiman Abba) asked them, we used to chase criminals in the bush.

    “I remember one day I was chasing criminals with Gen Sarkin Yaki Bello (then Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta), we were running and he stopped and asked me, ‘Your Excellency, are you wearing a bulletproof vest?’ I said why are you asking, he said ‘what if they shoot you,’ I said ‘are you wearing one?’ He said no, and I asked ‘what if they shoot you.’

    “But in six months, we brought down insecurity in Rivers state.”

  • 2023: I will fight insecurity to standstill – Amaechi

    2023: I will fight insecurity to standstill – Amaechi

    Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, an All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential aspirant, says fighting insecurity in Nigeria is his major priority if voted as president.

    Amaechi made the pledge in a statement on Monday in Abuja, following his visit to the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council in Yenagoa on Sunday, while on nationwide consultations for his presidential aspirations.

    Amaechi, who also met with party delegates in Bayelsa to solicit their support in the forthcoming Presidential primaries, said solution to crime was to give people responsibility and make them have their own sources of income.

    “For me, the solution to crime is to give people responsibility and make them have a source of revenue.

    “Once people have a source of income, crime will reduce. So, the solution to crime is to create jobs and create source of revenue because if you don’t create that source of revenue for them, they would create for themselves.

    “If you don’t grow an economy that accommodates the people, that is inclusive and accommodates everybody, somebody who isn’t part of that economy will create one for himself,’’ he said.

    Amaechi, who identified land reclamation as a key factor in the development of Bayelsa, assured that he would massively reclaim land to attract development in the region.

    “Your Majesty, I’m from the Niger Delta, I know the problem of the Niger Delta and I governed one of the states of the Niger Delta.

    “So, I come to you with the full knowledge of the Niger Delta as one who governed the NigerDelta, If given the opportunity to be President of Nigeria, I will reclaim lands in Yenagoa to enable the people of Bayelsa own lands with the support of the Federal Government.

    “Your Majesty, I am home and I want your blessings, I want you to talk to our people to support me to be the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “I assure you that if given the opportunity to serve our country, there shall be changes and there will be progress. I assure you that you will be of special interest to the Federal Government,” Amaechi said.

    In his remark, Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Bubaraye Agada the 10th, expressed the councils delight to receive its own son with good ambition.

    “We are delighted to have you, you are an aspirant who has come to do the needful.

    “You are our son, I have never seen a resume or profile of your type being two times Speaker, two times Governor and two times minister, we must give you the needed support,’’ Agada said.

    Similarly, the Bayelsa APC Chairman, Chief Dennis Otiotio, said they were happy to welcome Amaechi because he stood for them in their days of challenges.

    “It is a great pleasure to welcome our leader, our big brother to Bayelsa. Rivers and Bayelsa are one, so when we have a son of Rivers State, he is also a son of Bayelsa.

    “We are happy to receive you here because at the beginning of the formation of APC, you were there, when Bayelsa was having challenges, as Governor you were there for the state’s APC party.

    “ And that is why we are here to happily welcome you. You don’t need to campaign to Bayelsa statutory delegates because we know your record, ” Otiotio said.

  • 2023: Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi sets date to resign

    2023: Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi sets date to resign

    Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has stated that he will resign on today.

    Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered all his political appointees running for one office or the other in the 2023 General Election to resign.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Buhari gave the order following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the State House in Abuja.

    Amaechi gave the hint of his expected resignation in Kaduna on yesterday when he visited the State to canvass the support of All Progressives Congress(APC) delegates for the presidential primary.

    The Minister stressed the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train would not have happened if the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the surveillance contract he request to monitor the rail track.

    Details to follow…

  • 2023 Presidential Primaries: Don’t waste your votes, Amaechi tells APC delegates [PHOTOS]

    2023 Presidential Primaries: Don’t waste your votes, Amaechi tells APC delegates [PHOTOS]

    With the swelling number of presidential aspirants from the All Progressives Congress (APC), frontline Presidential aspirant, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has advised party delegates to vote wisely and not to waste their votes at the upcoming presidential primary.

    Addressing delegates in Edo State, weekend, Amaechi urged them not to be carried away with the bevy of aspirants from the ruling party, but to stay focused on the goal of voting a credible, experienced and performing aspirant like himself to fly the party flag at the 2023 presidential elections.

    He said, “Politicians will come to ask for your votes, but please, as South South people, as politicians, as good people of Nigeria, don’t waste your votes. The problem with politicians is you. The elites have shown you that they are here to ‘chop money’ and you allow them. They will bring money here and say you should vote for them, and nobody will care to ask ‘what was he before now, what is his performance?’ The economy they want to come and manage, how have they performed?

    “Ask me as Minister for Transport, I’m working hard to make sure that Lagos-Calabar rail line begins and it will come through Benin. I can account for my part. So when those in charge of the economy come to you for votes, ask them how they have managed the economy. As I’m here, ask me. If you ask these kind of questions, they will not come forward. Me, I come with experience, let them come with that experience. I come with the experience of being a Speaker for eight years and I managed my colleagues without being impeached. First time in the history of Nigeria that a Speaker will serve for eight years without being impeached. It was me. And I was Chairman, Speakers Forum, twice. You understand what it means to manage your equals? I was elected Chairman of Governors Forum, twice. If I didn’t manage the Governor’s Forum well, would my colleagues have voted for me?” He asked.

    Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, addressing Party delegates in Benin, Edo State, weekend.

    Amaechi also harped on the importance of having an electable candidate on the ballot for the APC to win the presidency.

    “The electability of a candidate is essential for you, if not, the APC will lose the election. For now, I think I’m the most electable. I’m tried, tested and trusted,” Amaechi said, adding that he has a wealth of experience and history of project delivery to show, from his time as Governor of Rivers State and now as Minister of Transportation.

    He said, “if they ask me, I have huge evidences, Model Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Primary Health Care Centres, Hospitals, Roads, 750 megawatts of power in Rivers State. Children were sent overseas to study, 13,200 teachers were employed, and other achievements as Governor. As Minister for Transportation, I finished the Kaduna-Abuja rail, Lagos-Ibadan is running. For those of you who say, ‘what has he done in the South South?’ There’s Warri-Itakpe rail line, only two communities are in Kogi, the rest are in Edo and Delta. States. We have started Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail, and we will start the Lagos-Calabar rail. So when they say ‘he has not done anything in the South South,’ are they saying Delta and Edo are not part of the Niger Delta? So I have evidence of what my contributions are to APC and to Nigeria. I can account for the period I have been in office. So if they bring money, you take it, but let us rise, vote right and defend our votes.”

    Amaechi was also at the Palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare 2, who told the Minister that he would have been surprised if he wasn’t running, as he is well positioned to lead the country.

    “If you didn’t come out, we would have been surprised. We have heard you, we have been watching all you have been doing as the Minister of Transportation. We commend you for what you have done for the railway lines, but the security agencies need to be involved considering what happened the last time on Abuja-Kaduna railway line. Benin throne is non-partisan, however, we endeavor to follow our ancestors directives to guide and pray,” the Oba said.