A chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Musa Saidu, has watered down the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi’s leadership quality ahead of the 2023 general elections.
With his reasons, Saidu cautioned his kindred from the north not to fall for the minister’s pretence as the forthcoming elections draw near.
Amaechi is aspiring to be Nigeria’s next leader after President Muhammadu Buhari, Naija News reports.
He is contesting under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and has made consultations in the North.
Speaking, however, with journalists on Sunday, Saidu who is the leader of the Arewa Community in the South-South and South-East geo-political zone, said Amaechi is not worthy to lead Nigeria.
Giving his reasons, the ACF chieftain said Amaechi is a pretender.
According to him, the Minister is only pretending to love northerners to get votes. He stressed that Amaechi’s antecedent as governor of Rivers State did not attest to his love for the northerners.
Speaking further, Saidu noted that all northerners residing in Rivers State could attest to how the former governor treated their tribesmen, 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.
Revealing further, the ACF chieftain recalled how Amaechi when he was 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.
Saidu alleged further that Amaechi disrespected General Yakubu Gowon and ex-information Minister, Labaran Maku when they visited Port Harcourt years ago to appeal to him to rebuild the Muslim worship centre and cemetery he demolished.
“Either 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,” Saidu revealed.
The ACF chieftain claimed he had participated and contributed to Rivers State both in political and economic development.
He boasts of himself as 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.
Saidu added: “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, detribalized and transparent leader to salvage the nation’s political and economic quagmire.
Saidu further stressed that Amaechi’s support for President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner in 2015 was not borne out of love but for personal political interest.
This article was originally published on Nigeria News