The Emir of Damaturu, HRH Alhaji Shehu Hashimi, the Ibn Elkanemi the 2nd, has called on Nigerians to support the ambition of the former transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi, a presidential aspirant in the forthcoming primary of the All Progressives Congress slated for this weekend.
According to a statement released by the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi Media Office on Tuesday, the monarch made the call while receiving the presidential aspirant at his palace in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, on Monday.
Speaking to Amaechi, the statement quoted the Emir as saying, “I know much about you. I know the experience you have and the challenges you have gone through. With your track record, when you become the President, you will deliver as expected. I pray that you will be supported by Nigerians to be the President of this country.
“We will support you in prayer, we will support you in all aspects that we are able to, to see that you excel. The transformation of this great country seen under the Ministry of Transportation which you were the Minister, needs to be commended. We know the role you played and we know how much you have done.”
Also, during a courtesy call on the Yobe State Governor, Mai Buni, at Government House Damaturu, the statement said the governor called for support for Amaechi, saying that with Amaechi’s pedigree, it would only be proper for Nigerians to support him to succeed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
According to the statement, Buni said, “We need continuity and consolidation with innovation to ensure that what we are enjoying today as a nation would, at least, continue, because we cannot afford to start afresh, we cannot afford to risk having new hand.
“Your Excellency, you will agree with me that most of the developed nations were developed as a result of continuity of policy and programmes, unbroken chain of leadership. In Nigeria, a two-time Director General of a Presidential campaign and one of the most trusted and active member of cabinet, who has always been there for Mr. President to kickstart everything that will move the nation forward because all the campaign promises are on his fingertips, is fit.
“Like I said earlier, ordinarily you shouldn’t have come. You know we granted waiver to President Buhari in 2015 not to come, so we would have granted same to you, but as customary, you are here to interface with the delegates without taking the delegates for granted.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank you for the newly designed railway line which you took to my house. The design for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line that goes up to Goneri, from where we turn into Damaturu, and from Damaturu to Gashua, and all the other areas you have touched. The history of the Buhari government cannot be complete without your name. We, here in Yobe, appreciate you and we are always in support of you.”
The statement further read, “Similarly, at an interactive session with the party delegates, former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, said Amaechi should be supported because he has the courage to fight insecurity.”
It quoted Buratai as saying, “I was opportune to be the Brigade Commander in Rivers State when he served as Governor. We worked tirelessly to ensure security and he is a man of many parts. He has also shown that capacity in other areas of administration which include the doggedness and determination to ensure that our railway work again. What we need is to give him the delegates’ votes for him to get that ticket and be elected as President in 2023.
“I am part of his team because we want to champion a cause, a very worthy cause of someone who has shown capacity, who has shown leadership, who has shown the strength in terms of leadership where he started in Rivers State as Speaker of the State House of Assembly.”
In his remarks, Amaechi assured the delegates of improved economy, where insecurity will be a thing of the past, if elected.
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