Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says he is still a member of the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Amaechi, who is among the 10 ministers, whom Buhari bade farewell on Friday, announced this in Kaduna State on Sunday.
After the valedictory session held for ministers who are eyeing elective seats in 2023, two of those who were part of the session backtracked.
While Chris Ngige, who declared interest in succeeding Buhari, withdrew from the presidency race, Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation, also opted out of the Kebbi governorship race.
On his part, Amaechi said he would resign on Monday.
He told delegates of the state that he is young and the most experienced of all the Presidential Aspirants, adding that the presidency requires agility of a young man, hence the elderly people should go home and rest.
“I will continue with President Buhari’s Agricultural transformations to address hunger,” he said, adding that the present administration had 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 am promising you,” he said.
Earlier, Governor Nasir El-Rufai presented Amaechi to the state’s delegates, saying he is his a confidant and loyalist of Buhari.
Daily Trust reports that El-Rufai had openly endorsed the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, within the week after he asked if delegates will vote for him and they replied in the affirmative.
“Others will come too, but who is your friend? Who is your loyalist? ok your friend and your loyalist is someone who remembered you when you had nothing and nobody was with you. Amaechi gave that support, he did it for Buhari and he did it for me,” he said.
“Many people contesting election always say delegates will hardly make heaven, because they don’t keep to promise, but I always say Kaduna delegates are different. You were in a hurry and didn’t listen to what other aspirants will tell you. Amaechi is here and I told you that, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is also coming after him, Governor Kayode Fayemi is also coming. Also, my big brother, Pastor Tunde Bakare, is also coming. As a result of that, you should be prepared and know what to tell them.”
He narrated how in 2011, Amaechi, a then PDP governor of Rivers State gave the defunct CPC money to hold its convention.
Since then, President Muhammadu Buhari asked me to continue talking to him. When they were thinking of defecting to APC, we used to meet with the seven governors before two chickened out. Amaechi turned his back against his own neighbour, Goodluck Jonathan and said he was going to follow Buhari. He held on to that trust, that is why Daura Emirate gave him that title of Dan Amanan Daura.”