Connect with us

latest

“I Lost 2022 APC Presidential Primary Because I Heeded Buhari’s Advice” – Amaechi.

Published

on

The vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has blamed his loss in the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary on his decision to heed the advice of former President Muhammadu Buhari not to campaign ahead of the contest.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Amaechi disclosed that Buhari had assured him in writing that he would emerge as his preferred successor. According to him, the assurance influenced his decision not to lobby delegates or negotiate political alliances with party leaders before the primary.

He made the revelation on Friday during an interview on The Situation Room, a programme aired on Mainland 98.3FM in Lagos.

The former Minister of Transportation explained that he trusted Buhari’s promise because the former president was his boss.

“The first mistake that I made at that primary was that I listened to President Buhari. He said to me, ‘Don’t campaign. Don’t do anything. I will announce you as my candidate.’

“He told me that. He put it in writing. When I write my book, I’ll put it out,” Amaechi said.

He further admitted that his refusal to negotiate political positions with governors and other influential party figures weakened his chances, while allowing President Bola Tinubu to secure crucial alliances.

According to Amaechi, he could have offered positions such as vice-president and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to secure the backing of governors and other delegates.

“Now, I didn’t do deals. So I would have promised you vice-president, promised you SGF, and then would have gone for this primary, I would have possibly won. I would have had governors on my side.

“Because I didn’t do deals, Tinubu had the chance to do deals,” he stated.

The former Rivers State governor also accused Tinubu of using religious sentiments to attract delegates, particularly in the northern part of the country.

He alleged that a group of Yoruba Muslims approached governors in the North-West and encouraged them to support Tinubu on religious grounds.

Amaechi mentioned former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, claiming that although he initially supported his presidential ambition, he later switched allegiance to Tinubu.

“El-Rufai was my supporter. El-Rufai, in a viral video, said this is done for the faith,” he said.

However, Amaechi maintained that he would not deploy religion as a political strategy, arguing that doing so could deepen divisions in the country.

He said he would not approach the Catholic Church or any religious group to mobilise members to vote for him, noting that such an approach could create tension among Nigerians.

“I wouldn’t want to run that kind of federation. Catholics are 35 million in Nigeria. I wouldn’t want to go to the Catholic Church and say, please announce me. Tell them that all Catholics must go out and vote Amaechi.

“It will cause confusion. It will cause problems in the country. That makes me a nationalist,” he added.

Amaechi also questioned the widespread description of Tinubu as a political strategist, asking why he had not become president earlier if he possessed such exceptional political skills.

At the APC presidential primary held at Eagle Square, Abuja, in June 2022, Tinubu secured 1,271 votes to defeat Amaechi, who finished second with 316 votes.

Tinubu subsequently won the 2023 presidential election.

Amaechi, who served as Director-General of Buhari’s 2015 presidential campaign and later became Minister of Transportation under his administration, is now Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the ADC ticket for the 2027 presidential election.

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

latest

INEC Reacts To Reports Of Removing Atiku, Amaechi From 2027 Election Portal.

Published

on

The names of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, remain on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal despite reports that the commission had removed them following a court ruling on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership crisis.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

INEC clarified that it had yet to take any decision on the matter because it had not received an official copy of the Federal High Court judgement delivered in Abuja on Thursday.

Atiku is the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, while Amaechi is his running mate.

The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, provided the clarification during an interview with Daily Trust on Friday.

He was responding to reports circulating on social media claiming that INEC had implemented the court ruling by removing the names of Atiku and Amaechi from its portal.

Haruna questioned the origin of the reports, maintaining that the commission had not received the judgement.

“I don’t know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven’t received the judgement yet,” he said.

He explained that obtaining a Certified True Copy (CTC) of a court judgement could take some time, noting that INEC could not be expected to act on a ruling that had not been officially delivered to it.

“Usually, it takes about a week for you to get a CTC of the tribunal,” Haruna added.

The INEC commissioner further disclosed that the commission had not held any meeting to deliberate on the judgement, stressing that its eventual position would be determined by the established judicial process.

A check of INEC’s portal by journalists on Friday also showed that Atiku and Amaechi’s names were still listed, contradicting claims that they had been removed.

The clarification followed Thursday’s ruling by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which removed the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC.

The court also nullified decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

The judgement followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-East, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.

Justice Lifu held that the process through which the leadership emerged failed to comply with the requirements for democratic elections under the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

Consequently, the court invalidated actions taken by the leadership, including the nomination of candidates submitted to INEC for the 2027 elections.

However, the ADC has rejected the ruling, describing it as legally indefensible and indicating its intention to challenge the decision at a higher court.

Continue Reading

entertainment

‘Growth Will Always Come’ – DJ Cuppy Explains Why She Abandoned Her Signature Pink Look.

Published

on

Nigerian disc jockey Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, has explained her decision to move away from her trademark pink appearance.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The entertainer, who became widely recognised for her pink hair, outfits and accessories, said she no longer wants her identity to be restricted to a single colour.

Cuppy made this known during an interview with GQ Poland, where she reflected on the role pink played in shaping her public image over the years.

The DJ explained that although pink had been a significant part of her identity for several years, her decision to embrace other colours was a reflection of personal growth rather than a rejection of the values associated with her signature style.

Speaking during the interview, she said: “I was known for the colour pink, and it was my identity for so many years, and a lot of people are asking what happened to the pink.

“I want people to understand that actually growth is something that will always come, and I don’t think I should be boxed into a colour.

“Pink for me meant power, vibrancy, expression, unapologeticness, positionality, and that’s still me, but I’m able to express it through other colours as well.

“When I think about my style, I think about a woman in a male-dominated industry. Maybe also when I first started 17 years ago, a young girl who was using pink to represent her femininity and stay in the room.

“Now that I’ve been through a lot of doors and kicked down some windows, I feel like I can represent my femininity through any colour.”

Continue Reading

latest

2027: Amaechi Speaks On Consequences If Nigeria Doesn’t Improve Under Atiku.

Published

on

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has vowed to resign if Nigeria fails to experience significant improvements within one year of an Atiku Abubakar-led administration.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Amaechi made the declaration during an interview on NewsCentral TV on Friday.

The former Rivers State governor said he would not hesitate to leave office if he failed to fulfil his responsibilities as vice-president under an administration led by Atiku.

He maintained that Atiku and other leaders of the party understood his personality and knew he would not remain in government if he was unable to deliver on his mandate.

Speaking during the interview, Amaechi said: “I’m sure the president knows my character, the presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) knows my character, that if I’m not performing, I may likely leave government. Of course. I’m not joking.

“But the way the situation is and the way I know Atiku, our first year in office, he will be hailed as a hero. Atiku will be hailed as a hero. Nigerians will regret not voting for him earlier.

“What we’re introducing is what we’ll call a production subsidy. If you don’t bring down the price, because the subsidy is aimed at bringing down the price, if you don’t do that, then you don’t get the subsidy. You either get the subsidy and bring down the price, or you buy at the international market rate.

“We must review the agricultural policy. We must encourage Nigerian farmers. We will not be importing food. Agriculture will create wealth, will create employment. Employment will reduce insecurity.

“If Nigeria does not begin to change, one year after we have come to office, come to me, I will resign.”

Amaechi expressed confidence that an Atiku-led government would make a significant difference within its first year in office, pointing to proposed policies on production subsidies and agriculture as key measures for reducing living costs, creating jobs and addressing insecurity.

Continue Reading

Trending