Southern Coalition Warns Youths against Blackmail over Amaechi’s Presidential Bid
Okon Bassey in Uyo
A coalition of no fewer than 13 socio-political groups drawn from the South-south and South-east have warned the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) against any blackmail following the declaration of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, to contest the Presidential election in 2023.
The group reasoned that the position of NYCN for the Minister to resign within 48 hours was mischievous stressing that no amount of threats would deter him from his genuine quest to run for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 general elections.
The socio-political groups described the action as a sponsored blackmail with the intention of distracting the minister from the race warning those behind the action against overheating the polity.
They commended the minister for “shunning all political distractions to put your best foot forward in the big decision to rescue Nigeria.”
The former governor of Rivers State had declared over the weekend to be part of the race to succeed outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 during the All Progressives Congress (APC) thanksgiving ceremony at the Adokie Amasiemaka Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital yesterday, by the Director-General (DG), Media Vanguard for Change (MVC), Mr. Ordinance Emeji, and Secretary, Hon. Igbikiminachin Kalio, noted that “Amaechi’s declaration has sent fears to the camp of some political enemies to begin the sponsored blackmail against him.”
Emeji, in the statement on behalf of the southern youths’ group, said “with the final declaration to run, the stage is now set for the youths across the zones to engender effective mobilisation to ensure he gets the nod of delegates to the forthcoming presidential primary in Abuja.
“We are very happy that at last the minister did not disappoint the youths of the South-south and South-east, and truly heeded our clarion call for him to stake his hat in the ring for the interest of unity, peace and development of the country.
“As the two-term Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly; two term governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum as well as two term federal minister, we have no doubt in his ability to deliver if he eventually scales the hurdle of nomination.
“We are set to mobilise for him across the country because he has vast experience in politics and governance in Nigeria, and his broad experience various positions at the state and federal levels put him in a better position as the best for the country at this moment of national tension occasion in virtually all geo-political zones of the country.”
He urged Nigerians to rally round a youthful and patriotic aspirant since “the country needs someone with determination and patriotic spirit to re-invent Nigeria and tailor it along the path of real development that has eluded us in the last couple of years.”
Emeji, therefore, appealed to the minister to begin consultations and horse-trading with a view to drawing key stakeholders, the delegates and the electorates to key into the vision of a new Nigeria under him from 2023.
