By Ayorinde Oluokun
President Bola Tinubu has noted that Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation made invaluable contributions to Rivers as a former speaker and two-term governor, saying he dedicatedly served the state.
President Tinubu said this in 60th birthday congratulatory message to Amaechi issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s spokesman on Tuesday.
The former Rivers governor clocked 60th on May 27
During his tenure, the former governor was also Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
He served as Minister of Transportation in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet for eight years.
Tinubu prayed for more years and God’s grace for the former minister and wished him well in his political career.
The President’s birthday message to Amaechi was despite the fact that the former governor of Rivers has joined a coalition working to kick him and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC out of office in 2027.
Amaechi who lost the 2023 presidential ticket of the APC to Tinubu has in recent times become one of the critics of the President.
At a recent book presentation, the former minister of transportation berated members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for not opposing actions of Tinubu, contrasting the situation to when he was the chairman of the Forum.
“We would confront the government, confront the president. That’s how radical we were, that’s how our governors forum operated, that’s how determined we were to change things.”
Amaechi who said this while criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers.
He described described the president’s action as a “brazen attempt” at power grab and a ploy to intimidate governors to support his re-election bid.
According to him, Tinubu had with the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers sent a message to governors “that if you are not careful, the president will remove you”.
Also, Amaechi had also criticized Nigerians for not protesting over the economic hardship in the country.
“There should be protests. Not even protests against anybody but against the politicians that ‘we won’t vote’,” he said.
