2023: STOP SUBJECTING AMAECHI TO CHEAP BLACKMAIL, GROUP WARNS DETRACTORS

As the political airspace ahead of the 2023 general elections begins to thicken, a socio-political group, Media Vanguard for Change (MVC), has decried incessant media attacks against the Minister of Transportation, Chief Chibuike Amaechi, describing such negative disposition as “cheap blackmail aimed at dissuading the former Rivers governor from yielding to popular calls to run for the presidency in 2023”.

Speaking in a virtual interview monitored from Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the Director General of the group, Comrade Ordinance Emeji, explained that  “The corruption allegation was ill-conceived and deliberately spewed into public space to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of Mr. Amaechi because of the politics of 2023”.

Emeji spoke against the backdrop of what he described as “baseless and spurious", a media report linking Amaechi with a multi-billion cargo tracking contract in Nigeria’s maritime industry.

According to the Rivers-born NGO leader, “Those sponsoring that false allegation against the Minister of Transportation are those who are envious and jittery of Amaechi’s intimidating political records and credentials in public service.

“The Transportation Minister has acquainted himself with the fine art of faithful stewardship with emphasis on accountability on any given assignment entrusted to him, ever since he served as a two-term Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, as well as his current position as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, incensed by this rising profile, his detractors have resorted to using the weapon of mudslinging; thinking such infantile actions would deter the Minister from heeding to clarion call from well-meaning Nigerians to put himself foward for the 2023 Presidential contest.

The MVC Director General clarified that the entire plot was because of the emerging fact that virtually all ethnic nationalities in the country have been mounting pressure on Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to declare his intention to vie for the nation’s plum job. He said, “This untoward action is a calculated attempt, borne out of fear over Amaechi's rising popularity and detribalised national disposition. We know Amaechi is a strong advocate of one Nigeria and a true patriot with the larger interest of unity, peace and stability of the country but he is not one to be cowed by such unsubstantiated allegations," Emeji said.

Dismissing the naysayers' fictitious claims that Amaechi does not possess the boldness to throw his hat into the ring for the 2023 Presidential contest, Comrade Emeji noted, ' Without contradictions, irrefragable proofs abound which have tipped the Minister as the best bet for the nation's number one job. Amaechi’s achievements speak volume when viewed from the larger prism of local, national and international perspective and that is why he is nominated among eminent African leaders for the prestigious Africa Blue Economy Security Award to be bestowed on him in March this year. So, if he has such interest, he will declare at the appropriate time.

"For now, the Minister is clearly focused on the job of fixing the country's Transportation sector as entrusted to him by President Muhammadu Buhari, who clearly understands and appreciates his capacity and loyalty."