2023: Gov Badaru stepdown for Amaechi after returning APC forms

Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar, has stepdown for former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, ahead of the All Progressives Congress’ presidential primary.

The governor made this known on Wednesday when the former minister visited him in Jigawa state to dialogue with delegates ahead of the May 29 presidential primary.

The governor said he would not run for president if former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi will run for the same office.

He dropped the hint barely days after he returned the nomination and expression of interest forms to the party’s Abuja National Headquarters.

He said: “Your Excellency, our leader in APC, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, it is indeed my pleasure to receive my friend, a friend in this struggle.

“I know what we have done to keep this party alive today. I know what we have done to make sure we succeed in the 2019 elections.

“I don’t know too much about 2015, but I know that our guests have played a key role in bringing APC into power.

“One thing I respect about my big brother and friend (Amaechi) is that what you see is what you get. He doesn’t lie, he doesn’t pretend. He says it straight, and that’s the quality of leaders this country needs.

“Some of you might begin to think, ‘Ah, Badaru you are also a Presidential aspirant,’ but I assure you, there’s is no contest between me and Amaechi.

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“ We belong to one father and we respect one father, and for sure, we will move in the same direction.

“We are all the children of President Muhammadu Buhari who loves us dearly and respects us, and whatever we do certainly must have his blessing, and that blessing we respect.

 “So, Jigawa delegates, when you think of me, think of Amaechi too. I can tell you, there is no contest. On that day, either I run or he runs. But the two of us will never run (against each other).”

Amaechi urged the delegates to vote for him because of his competence and pan-Nigerian posture.

He challenged the delegates not to vote for him because he is a southerner or northerner but because of his legislative and executive experiences.

The aspirant said: “Judge me by past records not what people think and say I am. I have to be the president of Nigeria because of trajectory.”

According to him, it would not be fair for the North to abandon the South-South in its hour of need because of the long-standing political relationship between the two regions.

Those in Amaechi’s entourage included: former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai and former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, among others.

Gen. Buratai is Nigeria’s ambassador to the Benin Republic.

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