Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that the minister of Transport and presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) Hon Rotimi Amaechi is his favourite Nigerian who can be trusted at all times.
He urged the Kaduna delegates not to be carried away with sweet talks but to vote for someone who can be trusted and keep to his words at all times.
The governor, however, reminded the delegates that when one of the presidential aspirant and national leader of their party visited Kaduna, they promised him support and now his friend had come and many more of the presidential aspirants would still come, hence they should be careful with who they promised their votes.
Towards this end, he jokingly said, “People said, delegates will not make heaven because of assurances of support promised all aspirants before elections.”
Governor El-Rufai disclosed that Amaechi as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sitting governor helped to sponsor the CPC national convention when the party had no money to organise it.
“In fact, when I was invited by the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) Amaechi as a governor came down to Abuja and personally drove me in his car to their office and waited until I was let go. He is my favourite Nigerian” he stressed.
Governor El-Rufai also said that Amaechi’s defection to the APC was a major booster to the successes the party had achieved and still achieving today and urged the delegates to choose that which is best for them.
He then asked the delegates whether or not they were committed to presidency going to the South which they all answered in the affirmative, and then told them, “you must choose what is best for Kaduna, because other presidential aspirants are still coming” he told the delegates.
Earlier in his speech, Amaechi who disclosed that he would be resigning as the minister of Transport today (Monday 16 May, 2022) said he was one of the youngest of all the presidential aspirants in his party the APC, adding that, “ Our elders should go home and rest.”
He said, he governed a state that was ravaged at the time with insecurity but was able to successfully tame the situation and expressed confidence that if elected president he would do same in Nigeria.
“I will continue with President Buhari’s agricultural transformation to address hunger. The administration of President Buhari inherited poverty but has been able to change the situation positively.
“You need to vote for a candidate that will protect and provide for all regardless of region, religion and tribe and that is what I am promising you.
“As Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, I was elected chairman of Nigerian Speakers twice and as governor, I was also elected chairman Nigeria Governors Forum twice. It shows I have what it takes to govern. I am asking you not to waste Kaduna votes. Please give me your votes and I will come back to Kaduna to thank you.”
Also speaking, Kaduna State speaker, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, whom Governor el-Rufai asked to say a word or two, simply said, “as lawmakers, we will support our own. Amaechi was a speaker and he did well. So we will support him.”
In the entourage of the presidential hopeful was his campaign director general, Senator Ali Ndume, and the immediate past Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Yusuf Buratai (rtd), amongst several others.
