PDP Ask Amaechi To Resign As Minister And Focus On His New Role As Buhari Campaign DG

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate resignation of the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, from the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Punch reports that the PDP, which hinged its demand on the alleged appointment of Amaechi as the director general of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term campaign, also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

 A statement issued on Thursday, January 4, in Abuja by the spokesman for the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the minister must leave office immediately and face his new assignment. He said: “If APC has any strand of dignity, then Amaechi must resign as the minister of transportation having been appointed and already functioning as the DG of President Buhari’s campaign. “Under the constitution of Nigeria, Amaechi cannot combine the job of a minister of the Federal Republic with another responsibility such as the DG of a campaign organisation.

“Amaechi’s action in accepting the job while still holding office as minister is in clear breach of the oath of office and the oath of allegiance which he swore in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended). He should, therefore, resign his office as minister with immediate effect.”

He alleged that Amaechi had already begun to function as the DG Campaign for Buhari second term, adding that, he already held meetings with some of the governors elected on the platform of the APC. Ologbondiyan recalled that when as a serving minister of works, Chief Tony Anenih, was appointed to head the campaign of then President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Anenih resigned as minister.

Accusing APC of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians, Ologbondiyan expressed shock that, "APC was now more interested in setting up an electoral structure for a second term when Nigerians are dying daily of hunger and poverty while others are being killed in their communities by marauders, owing particularly to APC’s dismal performance in its nearly three years in office.

 “Is it not instructive for Nigerians to now know that the APC has not the littlest agenda on governance for our people and do not have the interest of Nigerians at heart. They have shown that all they care for is their selfish political and pecuniary interests”, Ologbondiyan said.