The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, at the weekend, declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidency, adding that his aspiration was not for selfish interests.
Amaechi, who detailed his aspiration in a letter titled; ‘Forward with Courage’, which he read at a Thanksgiving organised by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, noted that he has consulted widely before arriving at the decision.
The leader of the APC in South-South noted that he has been in governance for 23 years spanning from being a speaker of the State House of Assembly for eight years to being a governor and now a minister.
He noted that within the period he has served as the Chairman of the Council of Speakers of the 36 states of the federation, Chairman of the Governors Forum for two terms and then the Director-General of President Muhammadu Buhari for two terms.
Amaechi said he is enriched by the governance system and understands what good leadership meant, adding that he would contribute to the development of the nation.
He said: “My aspiration is not about fulfilling any personal ambition. I am contesting for the office because I believe that it is my moral duty to give what I can in the service of my country.
“To sustain and intensify present efforts at solving our national problems, our democracy must ensure the emergence of a leadership that is equipped with broad experience in governance to ensure stability and continuity. To sustain our democracy and preserve our unity, we need a steady hand and a passion for success in a nation that remains united to pursue prosperity for all Nigerians.
“It is this combination of experience and patriotic passion that I bring to the table. I have been in the political arena for 23 years. I have served at every level of government – local, state, and federal. I have served both as a political appointee and an elected official. I have served both as an executive and as a legislator.”
