A group, National Coordinator of Frontier for Peace and Unity (FPU), has canvassed support for the presidential candidacy of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
The National Coordinator, FPU, Mrs Ikalama Owadiktorusinya, said in Buguma, Rivers, on Monday that the group had adopted Amaechi, after consulting widely with leaders, youths and other stakeholders in the South-South.
She spoke at the inauguration of the group’s Executives in Buguma, headquarters of Asari Toru Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amaechi, a former two-term governor of Rivers, has not officially declared interest to run for the office in the next general election.
“FPU, as an umbrella body of youths in the South-South is interested in who becomes president of Nigeria in 2023.
“We decided to pitch tenth with the APC to ensure that Amaechi emerges as the presidential candidate of the APC.
“We chose Amaechi because he is dynamic, hardworking, amiable and has impeccable records of achievements as a Speaker, a Governor and now a Minister,” she said.
Owadiktorusinya described the minister as a unifier and go-getter that loved the people and never gave up on anything that he believed in.
“So, there is a need for the youths and every right thinking person to ensure that persons of impeccable character lead this country.
“Also, here in Rivers state, the youths have agreed that the next governor should emerge from a riverine area, particularly of the Kalabari extraction.
“The youths have taken their position.
“So, we have gone to Abonema in Akuku Toru, Usokuu in Degema and are now in Buguma in sari Toru, to inaugurate our local government executives,” she added.
The national coordinator said that FPU would soon inaugurate its executives in the entire local government areas in the region, starting with those in Rivers and then, Cross River.
Owadiktorusinya urged the newly inaugurated 15-member executive in each of the three local government areas to commence work immediately and mobilise grassroot support for the minister.
Speaking, the group’s Coordinator in Rivers, Mike Amachree, said that FPU had also begun mobilising to ensure election of credible candidates in 2023 in the state.
According to him, aside the adoption of Amaechi for the presidency, the group is also driving the candidacy of a governor from the riverine area.
“We believe that the next governor in Rivers State should come from a riverine community, particularly of the Kalabari extraction for the sake of equity and fairness.
“To this end, we have started working with leaders who have proven integrity and capacity to perform, for them to be voted into power in 2023.
“So, we have given charge to our newly inducted local government executives to ensure that an APC government is enthroned in the country and in the state in the next election,” he noted.
NAN reports that the inaugurations attracted thousands of youths in the three local government areas.
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