The Minister of Transportation and Presidential hopeful of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has urged party members in Lagos State to support his presidential aspiration over that of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The presidential aspirant spoke during a courtesy call on the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Government House, Marina Lagos on Thursday.
The former Rivers State governor asked APC members in the state to vote for him in the party’s primary slated for May.
Amaechi who stressed the need for APC to present a sellable candidate in the 2023 presidential elections, said he represents the ideal candidate first as the youngest with much energy and a public service record that towered him above other contenders.
The Minister while speaking at the occasion, said it was a difficult decision he had to take to contest the 2023 presidential election knowing fully that Tinubu is in the race.
“It is a difficult thing to contest with our leader, he is our leader and l know it is really a difficult decision that you have to take. He is eminently qualified to contest but I’m more qualified than him.
“I’m the bridge between the old and the young. I understand the language of young people. And if we consider the reality of our current security situation, I’m the only one with experience in handling difficult security situations having served as governor at a time when kidnapping and violent crime was high in Rivers,” Amaechi said.
The Minister urged the Lagos governor to take what he described as a difficult decision to support him as party’s choice and Nigeria choice.
“l come with experience of having served as speaker, l come with experience of having served as governor, l come with experience of having served as minister. I was chairman of governors and l also served as director general in the presidential campaign to deliver victory for our party APC.
“I have tremendous respect for our leader but we have to make the hard choice. I always say there is no second position in this contest, the party must make a winning choice. It is a hard decision but it is a decision that is doable,” Amaechi told the governor.
Responding, Sanwo-Olu noted that the minister is eminently qualified going by his record of experience. “I have listened and l have listened very well.”
He said it was important for the party to make good choices in the next election. “I’m a direct beneficiary of our leader, Asiwaju. For those of us in Lagos, he is our rallying point, we will continue to do the best for the country.”
