A chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum and leader of Arewa Community in South-South and South-East geo-political zone, Alhaji Musa Saidu, has cautioned Northerners against supporting the presidential aspiration of Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi.
According to the ACF chieftain, the minister was only pretending to love northerners, adding that his antecedent as governor of Rivers State did not attest to that.
Saidu, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday, noted that all northerners residing in Rivers State could attest to how Amaechi treated Northerners, especially in areas of politics and appointments.
“Amaechi discriminately appointed Yorubas and Igbos as special assistants but declined to appoint any Northerner despite our long stay and role in the development of the state,” he said.
Besides, the ACF chieftain noted that it was on record that Amaechi as governor of Rivers state, demolished mosques and cemeteries for Northern christians and Muslims as well as frustrated businesses of northerners in the state.
He appealed to Northerners not to allow the transportation minister to cajole them into voting him for the presidency in 2023.
The ACF chieftain who claimed to have lived in Rivers state for over 52 years, said, “Everyone knew when former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon and ex-information Minister, Labaran Maku came to Port Harcourt and begged Amaechi to rebuild the Mosque and cemeteries he demolished but he refused.
“You can imagine someone who could not unite Nigerians as governor, is now aspiring for the presidency. For god sake, what do you think will happen when he emerges victorious?
“I have been living in Port Harcourt for more than 52 years. All politicians including Amaechi himself knew me very well, and as such, I will never be deceived by anybody
“I have participated in the politics and economic development of Rivers state. I am the only Northerner who headed a presidential committee against oil bunkering during the Obasanjo administration as well as a founding member of the South-South Conference.
“Amaechi should apologise to our father Gen. Yakubu Gowon and entire Northerners for what he did to Northerners when he was a governor, before deciding to change our minds on him.”
He argued that what Nigeria needed at the moment, was a trusted , intelligent , accommodating, detribalised and transparent leader to salvage the nation’s political and economic quagmire.
Saidu added that Amaechi’s support for the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), a Northerner in 2015 was not borne out of love but for personal political interest.
The ACF chieftain, while speaking on the security challenges across the country, noted that the situation was a clear indication of Buhari’s regime’s failure to protect lives and property of the citizens.
“We expect Mr president to give a deadline to Security Chiefs to end banditry, not only to rescue those in captivity of bandits,” he added.
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