Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed why he ran round the Port Harcourt stadium in Rivers State, South South Nigeria, during his official declaration as a presidential aspirant for 2023 elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ameachi said this during a visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in Ile-Ife, Osun state as part of consultation on his 2023 presidential ambition.
Amaechi also stated that he was the most qualified to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
He said, “People have asked me why I ran round the stadium. I was checking to see how fit I am, so I had to run round the stadium to confirm to myself that I’m strong enough to carry the problems of the country, whether it is mentally or physically.
“Because you need both mental capacity and physical fitness to manage this country.
“You have to be physically strong and have the mental capacity to make decisions on behalf of the country.
“If you look at my history, among all of us in APC, including PDP, with all due respect to them, I happen to be one with more precedence. 8 years as Speaker, 8 years as Governor, 7 years as Minister, the first Director General of a campaign to lead a fight of the removal of a government in power.
“With that experience comes the fact that the greatest and the most difficult thing for anybody in government is to lead among equals. If you don’t lead properly, they’ll remove you.
“I’ve led my equals twice, as Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and as Chairman of Governors’ Forum, which was very turbulent when there was a sharp disagreement between the governors and the then President. So, I’m experienced enough to manage the country at this difficult time.”
In his response, Oba Ogunwusi said to Amaechi, “You have been relevant since the start of this republic, it is for a reason and I urge you to use that grace for the betterment of all Nigerians.”
