The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has lambasted the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for a statement credited to him, telling Igbos to forget their 2023 presidential ambition.
During an interview with The Sun, Amaechi had said that Igbos cannot take over from President Muhammadu Buhari because they have nothing to bring to the table in 2023. And that they did not vote the APC in the last general elections.
However, Ohanaeze Youth fired back at the minister in an interview saying Its an insult of the highest order for Amaechi to arrogate to himself with the powers he does not have
In a statement released by its secretary-general, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the OYC said Amaechi does not have the power to determine the political future of Ndigbo, adding that minister’s position is a dance of shame. He said:
“Amaechi had come out to dance naked in the public place. It was an insult of the highest order for Amaechi to arrogate to himself the powers he does not have.
“This is one of the most awkward and disappointing statements we have heard in recent times. However, it is partly good so that we see those who do not mean well for this country; those who do not cherish a united Nigeria built on equity.
“It is most unfortunate that Amaechi, from the south-south zone, which had the total support of the south-east when Goodluck Jonathan was in power, should come out to disparage our people.
“Amaechi’s position is nothing else but a dance of shame in the public place. This is a man who had before the election declared that for equity sake, the south-east will produce the president in 2023.
“Amaechi has now sacrificed equity; he is now the chief promoter of nepotism and injustice.”
The group insisted that Amaechi does not hold the key to the political future of Ndigbo and added:
“He also cannot dictate to us or railroad us into making any particular political choice. Our own destiny is in our hands and that of God.
“However, we want to make it clear to him that his presidential ambition is also dead on arrival. Having shown Nigerians that he is a scale-out, one whose words cannot be trusted, there is no headway for him.
“This 360 degrees turn is nothing but one borne out of his inordinate ambition to become APC presidential candidate in 2023.”