Former minister Amaechi says he effectively left Buhari’s government — Premium Times Nigeria

In Nigeria, former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi said he effectively stepped away from working in the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari because he was dissatisfied with the government’s course. He said this in an interview with AIT television, Premium Times Nigeria reports.

Conversation with the president

According to Amaechi, he initially discussed his doubts with Buhari privately. The former minister said he reminded the then-president about the expectations of voters who supported the All Progressives Congress party in 2015. He believed that voters expected Buhari to govern in the same style as in 1983.

Amaechi claims that Buhari replied that circumstances were already different, as in 1983 he was younger and headed a military government without a parliament.

Working only on Wednesdays

After this conversation, Amaechi asked the president for permission to return to university. According to him, Buhari agreed. In his study application, Amaechi stated that he would not be at the ministry on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and would come to the office only on Wednesdays.

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The former official described this work arrangement as a technical resignation from the government. Formally, he remained transport minister until May 2022, when he resigned after announcing his intention to participate in the All Progressives Congress presidential primaries ahead of the 2023 election.

Political career

Amaechi was governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, and headed the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign organization during the 2015 presidential campaign. At the party’s 2022 primaries, he came second after Bola Tinubu.

Amaechi is currently taking part in the campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress. According to the publication, he lost that party’s primaries to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, after which he was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate on a ticket with Abubakar.