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Tag: Amaechi

  • Buhari celebrates Amaechi at 55

    Buhari celebrates Amaechi at 55

    President Muhammadu Buhari has extolled the unique qualities of the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, as he turned 55 years of age.

    The President, in a goodwill message he dispatched to celebrate the former governor of Rivers State, observed Hon. Amaechi’s services to the government and his loyalty to the party, recalling the sacrifices he made in 2015 and 2019 to ensure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential polls.

    According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari assured the Minister that Nigerians of generations would continue to remember his contributions to the development of the country, urging him to stay focused on the larger picture.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari sends warm felicitations to Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on his 55th birthday, commending his resulted-oriented leadership style, which positively reflects on people and projects he has supervised over the years.

    “The President joins the All Progressives Congress (APC), family and political associates of the former Governor of Rivers State in celebrating the milestone, while congratulating him for a meteoric political rise, underlined by his forthrightness, diligence and deep sense of loyalty and patriotism.

    “As the Minister of Transportation turns 55, President Buhari believes his investments in the development of Rivers State, and current efforts in building infrastructure across the country will always be remembered by posterity, urging him to stay focused on the larger picture of working to improve lives.

    “The President also extols Amaechi for his willingness to make sacrifices and support the governing party, APC, recalling, with appreciation, the major role he played in the 2015 and 2019 Presidential Elections, and his continuous contributions to promote peace and unity of purpose.

    “President Buhari prays that the almighty God will position the Director General of his Presidential Campaigns for greater glory, and grant him more opportunities to serve the country and humanity”, the statement said.

  • Late Justice Karibi-Whyte contributed immensely to my success as Rivers Governor – Amaechi

    Late Justice Karibi-Whyte contributed immensely to my success as Rivers Governor – Amaechi

    Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has expressed profound sadness and pain over the demise of retired Supreme Court jurist, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte.

    Amaechi, who refers to the deceased as a father and great advisor, had during his time as governor of Rivers State appointed Karibi-Whyte Pro Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) to strengthen the institution’s education and values.

    The minister in a special tribute to the departed jurist on his twitter handle @ChibuikeAmaechi said:, “Justice Karibi-Whyte for me was a father figure. He was an exemplary personality, a great advisor and I have the utmost respect for him.

    “During his tenure as Pro Chancellor of RSUST where he brought his astute disposition and intellect to bear, there was a remarkable turnaround in the quality of education and handling of affairs in the institution.

    “He was also a key member of the State’s Economic Advisory Council when I was governor and my administration and Rivers State benefited richly from his wealth of experience and expertise.

    “As a Justice of the supreme court, he was very upright, fearless and upheld the rule of law. He was a colossus and great teacher. I will miss him deeply. Rivers State and Nigeria just lost a good man, a great man.”

    Amaechi prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed Justice Karibi-Whyte and comfort for his wife and entire family.

  • Amaechi mourns Kyari, condoles with family

    Amaechi mourns Kyari, condoles with family

    Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has condoled with President, Muhammadu Buhari and the Kyari family on the passing of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.

    Amaechi described Abba Kyari as a seasoned and remarkable administrator who took his job seriously and contributed immensely to the success of President Buhari as his Chief of Staff.

    “Today, I join Nigerians, members of cabinet and staff of the presidency to mourn late Abba Kyari and pray for the repose of his soul. I also pray that his wife, Mrs. Kulu Abba Kyari, his family and loved ones find strength in this very trying time to bear this heavy loss,” he said.

    Amaechi also urged Nigerians to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously and follow strictly all health safety protocols.

    “As we have unfortunately experienced, the virus is no respecter of persons. Please adhere to the laid down health advisory, obey the restrictions and safety rules, so that together we can win this war, save more lives and come out stronger at the end of it all,” Amaechi said.

  • Amaechi breaks down in tears at funeral rite of aide, Tony Iwelu

    MINISTER of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Ameachi, yesterday broke down in tears during the funeral mass of his Chief Security Officer, Mr. Tony Iwelu.

    Ameachi was choked with emotions and could not continue with the oration, as he broke down while giving an oration during the funeral mass at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church, Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South L.G.A, Delta State.

    The minister, who described the death of his aide as “one of my greatest shocks and personal losses”, said the deceased has been around his family in the last 17 years.

    In his words, “the realisation of Tony’s death was to say, the least an unbelievable occurrence even as it appears to be so.

    Tony had through been dedicatedly around me and my family for the past 17 years. I am throughout speechless as it concerns Tony’s death because this is one of my greatest shocks and personal losses.”

    Recall Iwelu died following an electric shock in his hotel room in Kaduna.

    The Transport ministry’s head of public relations, Eric Ojiekwe, in a statement on Tuesday, said Iwelu had lodged at the hotel after an official assignment in the state.

    “The Chief Security Officer to the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Mr. Tony Iwelu died on Monday, February 17, 2020 of electric shock from a shower rose in Stone Edge Hotel, Kaduna where they were lodged after an official assignment.

  • Amaechi, three other ministers, top S-South leaders, Gov Obaseki perfect plans to oust Oshiomhole

    Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN, Minister for Health and Minister of State for power are among the top executives of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet who met with top South South APC leaders and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state last night to perfect plans to remove the embattled National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
    The meeting which was summoned by Governor Godwin Obaseki held all night at the Edo State Governors lodge, Abuja, ref=”http://thenewsguru.ng/”>TheNewsGuru.com, TNG can authoritatively report.

    TNG reports that the meeting which held on Thursday night at the Edo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja also had Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and Minister of State for power Goddy Jedy-Agba in attendance.

    “Yes, the meeting held yesterday at the Edo State Governor’s lodge. Four serving ministers including other South South leaders were present. Top on the agenda was how to strategically position our party (APC) for future elections and also ensure the incumbent chairman is relieved of his position”, TNG source at the crucial meeting said.

    Also in attendance at the meeting is former Edo State governor Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, immediate past Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside and Senator Ndoma Egba.

    Others are former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, Chairman of Edo State chapter of the party, Anselm Ojezua, Senator Domingo Obende, Senator James Akpan Udo-Edehe, and several others.

    Recall that the National Vice Chairman of the party (South-South) Hillard Eta had earlier called for a boycott of the meeting of the South-South stakeholders summoned by Governor Obaseki against his predecessor.

    The APC leader (Eta) said the meeting was illegal because the governor lacked the power to initiate it.

    From the new development, there are insinuation in some quarters that the presence of the aforesaid APC bigwigs in South-South stresses that the Obaseki-led faction of APC enjoys a better relationship with the Presidency – a feat foretelling the peril Oshiomhole faces in the party today.

    Meanwhile some supporters of the party removed billboards, banners and posters bearing images of the embattled National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, at the National secretariat in Abuja.

    The billboards and banners disappeared overnight from walls and strategic points around and inside the secretariat.

    Only a billboard bearing the image of President Muhammadu Buhari was left standing at the national secretariat of the party as at the time of this report.

    There was also indication that Oshiomhole and some of his loyalists will not be present at next Tuesday’s National Executive Council meeting of the party.

    Recall also that a Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday approved the controversial National Executive Committee, NEC, emergency session of the party scheduled for next week.

    The court restrained National Working Committee (NWC) members loyal to Oshiomhole, from obstructing the conduct of the meeting which is expected to decide the fate of the embattled former Edo governor.

  • BREAKING: Four ministers, Other South South APC leaders attend Obaseki’s meeting against Oshiomhole

    BREAKING: Four ministers, Other South South APC leaders attend Obaseki’s meeting against Oshiomhole

    The embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was dealt a huge blow on Thursday as top ministers, chieftains of All Progressives Congress (APC), South South region rallied round his political rival, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki.

    Authoritative reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) has it that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN are among the top executives of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet attending a meeting summoned by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to oust the embattled chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    TNG reports that the meeting is just commencing at the Edo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

    Among the Prominent APC leaders present include, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former Edo State governor Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, immediate past Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN and Senator Ndoma Egba have all arrived at the Edo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro venue of a meeting called by governor Obaseki.

    Others were former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, Chairman of Edo State chapter of the party, Anselm Ojezua, Senator Domingo Obende, Senator James Akpan Udo-Edehe, and several others.

    Recall that the national vice-chairman, south-south, Prince Hilliard Eta, who is a loyalist of Oshiomhole had earlier directed leaders from the zone not to attend the meeting called by the Edo state governor.

    The APC leader (Eta) said the meeting was illegal because the governor lacked the power to initiate it.

    From this new development, there are insinuations in some quarters that the presence of the aforesaid APC bigwigs stresses that the Obaseki-led faction of APC enjoys a better relationship with the presidency – a feat foretelling the peril Oshiomhole faces in the party today.

    Today, some supporters of the party removed billboards, banners and posters bearing images of the embattled National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, at the National secretariat in Abuja.

    The billboards and banners disappeared overnight from walls and strategic points around and inside the secretariat.

    There was also an indication that Oshiomhole and some of his loyalists will not be present at next Tuesday’s National Executive Council meeting of the party.

    Only a billboard bearing the image of President Muhammadu Buhari was left standing at the national secretariat of the party as at the time of this report.

     

  • Just in: Amaechi’s mother released by kidnappers

    Reports reaching TheNewsGuru (TNG) reveals that Mrs. Appolonia, the mother of Ikechukwu Amaechi, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of TheNiche Newspapers, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen has regained her freedom.

    According to reports from close associates of the Nigerian publisher, the 79-year-old grandmother and a retired teacher, who was abducted on Tuesday, March 3 has been released by her abductors.

    As at the time TNG filed this report, calls made to her son, Ikechuckwu proved abortive.

    Details sooon…

  • Transport minister, Amaechi speaks on reports of Peterside’s sack

    Transport minister, Amaechi speaks on reports of Peterside’s sack

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has said he is unaware of the alleged sack of the Director-General (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside.

    There was an unconfirmed report that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Bashir Jamoh as the new DG of the agency.

    Jamoh is the executive director of administration and finance in NIMASA.

    Peterside’s tenure expires on the 10th of March, 2020

    In a morning show monitored on African Independent Television (AIT) on Thursday where the Minister of Transportation reacted to the news of the sack.

    On the alleged sack of Peterside and his replacement by Jamoh, Amaechi said: “I am not aware. As of yesterday when I spoke to the DG of NIMASA, he was in the office and they had a board meeting and he was present at the meeting. I am not aware that he has been removed. I spoke to him at about 3 pm to 4 pm. I should know if he has been sacked. If I am the minister of transportation, I should know.

    “Maybe we need to call him (Peterside) this morning to know whether he is in the office but the government does not take an arbitrary decision. If he were to be sacked, the minister of transportation would be told to formally intimate the DG of his sack and I am not aware that the president has directed me to intimate anybody of his sack.

    “His tenure expires on the 10th of this month. When it expires, you can then approach the president to either reappoint him or replace him. The president has the appointing authority. All the minister has by law is the recommendation authority.”

    On the speculation that his alleged sack might be due to the failure of the agency to audit its account for six years, the minister said: “I am not aware that that could be the reason. He has been DG for only four years because he came into office in 2016 and they cannot be punishing him for the offence committed by previous DGs.

    “I don’t think that those speculations are right. I just think they are mere speculations and we should wait until Tuesday next week when his tenure will officially expire. The president has the right to appoint whoever he wants to appoint and if he wants to extend his tenure, he will extend his tenure.”

    On the alleged refusal of Peterside to attend National Assembly summons, he said: “I attend National assembly summons because they have the authority to summon a minister or the head of parastatals. I would be surprised if Peterside does not honour summons because he was once a member of the House of Representatives.”

  • Amaechi’s chief security officer dies of electric shock

    Amaechi’s chief security officer dies of electric shock

    The Chief Security Officer to the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Mr. Tony Iwelu died on Monday, February 17, 2020 of electric shock from a shower rose in Stone Edge Hotel, Kaduna, where they were lodged after an official assignment.

    A statement from the Head Press and Public Relations unit of the ministry Mr Eric Ojiekwe stated that Iwelu was until his death, in charge of the Minister’s security; a job he did with the utmost professionalism.

    “There is no gainsaying that the professionalism he brought to bear in the discharge of his job, sustained him for over two decades in the service of the minister.

    The late Iwelu who hailed from Delta State will be greatly missed, as friends and colleagues have been expressing shock and utter disbelief since the incident took place.

    They described him as a vibrant, honest, kindhearted, loyal and an easygoing young man who was conscientious in the discharge of his duties.

    He left behind a young wife and three children; the eldest being 14 years.

    We painfully accept this divine reality and pray God to grant his gentle soul eternal rest.

  • Just in: Court halts INEC from deregistering 31 political parties

    Just in: Court halts INEC from deregistering 31 political parties

    The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from deregistering 31 political parties.

    Justice Anwuli Chikere, in a ruling, said INEC has failed to oppose the application by the applicants, the affected political parties had the legal right which must be protected.

    INEC had, on February 6, deregistered 74 political parties.

    Details soon…