From Aidoghie Paulinus (Abuja) and Tony John (Port Harcourt)

Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, has officially declared his intention to vie for the 2023 presidency, saying that his aspiration was not for personal interest.

The minister, who detailed his aspiration in a letter captioned; “Forward with Courage,” read at the thanksgiving organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Rivers State, yesterday, noted that he had consulted widely before arriving at the decision.

Amaechi, leader of the party in South-South, noted that he had been in governance for 23 years starting with being the Speaker of the State House of Assembly for eight years to being a governor for another eight and now minister.

He noted that within the period, he had served as the Chairman of the Council of Speakers of the 36 states of the federation, Chairman of Governors’ Forum for two terms and then the Director General of President Muhammadu Buhari for two terms.

Amaechi said he was enriched with the governance system and understands what good leadership means, stating 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.

“Today, I stand as an aspirant to the position of president because of that same passion for people; that same drive for results. More than ever before, I am burning with the zeal to make a decisive difference in the lives of all Nigerians.

“I pledge my heart, mind and soul to the task of building a Nigeria in which every child can go to school, every young person can find work or support to start a business, every citizen can travel safely around the country and sleep at night knowing that law and order prevails and every Nigerian feels included, heard, and respected.”

In his solidarity speech, the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, who represented the Northern State Governors’ Forum and Progressives Governors’ Forum, said it was misrepresented on the media that Amaechi had no structure in the state.

Lalong stated that APC and Amaechi have a formidable structure to win any election in the state.

Also, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Idris Wase, described Amaechi as a dogged fighter, noting that God used him to revive the rail system.

The former National Chairman of APC and former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, commended Amaechi for the unity and reconciliation in Rivers APC, calling for stronger bond among party faithful.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Emeka Beke, in his address, stated that the mandate of the party had returned.

Beke, who spoke on behalf of the new state executives, said: “We are here to thank God for the victory he has already given us ahead of time.

“We want to thank God for the success of the congresses in the state. When we wanted to go for the national convention, the devil wanted to strike, but God protected us. The mandate has returned for us to take part in the 2023 elections and we will be victorious.”

In a related development, immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) would take over Rivers State in 2023 as far as the elections are concerned.

Peterside, in a statement issued by his media office, said the APC in Rivers State looked unstoppable in its goal of winning the presidential, governorship and all other elective positions in the state in 2023.

Peterside, a chieftain and leading aspirant for the governorship ticket of the party, made the declaration at the party’s Special Thanksgiving Service held at the 40,000 capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to thank God for the successful congresses and national convention of the party at all levels.

Peterside expressed delight that APC in Rivers State was on the right path of recovery and victory to end what he described as the “sad breast-pocket governance style of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.”