PRESS BRIEFING BY THE RIVERS LEADERSHIP ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION(RIVLEAF) ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF HIS EXCELLENCY RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI TO NIGERIANS AS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA IN THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION.
DEAR NIGERIANS,
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF
THE FOURTH ESTATE OF THE
REALM, HONOURABLE LEADERS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN .
The Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation ( RIVLEAF ), is a legally registered foremost leadership-based non-governmental organization that is focused and committed to the advancement and institutionalization of culture of good and quality leadership in Nigeria, with the cardinal objective to train and groom young leaders with the right mental attitude to quality leadership, governance and service delivery under an atmosphere of a united Nigeria, hence our motto and slogan: Good leadership! Service!! and Unity!!!.
The body comprises of tested and proven professionals from various fields of life, ex-student leaders across Nigeria, as well as Community and opinion leaders, who have over the years championed the cause of identifying, advocating for and projecting sound and reasonable Nigerians who possess qualities that will provide and guarantee good and quality governance in our dear country Nigeria, if and when elected into such office . The recognition and adoption of any such Nigerian is subject to such persons scaling through meritoriously the assessments and scrutiny, based on laid down criteria set by the body for such purposes.
It is therefore based on the above background, that we hereby present to you , someone the organisation has rigorously assessed and found absolutely fit, sound and qualified to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having scored 99.5 percent in our assessments, beating every other Nigerians, that were also considered for same office within the period. We therefore , passionately crave your indulgence to join us to support this worthy son of Nigeria in the forthcoming 2023, Presidential Election, to become the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, after the successful completion of the Buhari-led administration.
Fellow Nigerians, we present to you His Excellency , Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly/former Chairman, Conference Of Speakers Of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Former Governor of Rivers State/Chairman , Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), and presently, the Minister of Transportation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as that candidate that will consolidate on the established changes, lead us through this level and stimulate progress in our country.
Our adoption of Amaechi as that desired candidate is based on his track records and exceptional leadership qualities, which have been brought to bear in the various offices he has previously held.
Over the years, Amaechi has proven to be a multi-sectoral achiever, with signature projects across various sectors. Through the positions he has held previuosly, he has made indelible marks which have projected him as a good leader and manager of people and resources.
During his time as the Governor of Rivers State, many areas received unprecedented turnaround. Sectors like Agriculture, Education, Health, Security, Infrastructure, Urban/Rural Renewals, Sports, Power, Economic Advancement , Human Capital Development and other areas were transformed to meet international best standards.
The educational sector witnessed monumental leap under the leadership of Amaechi as the governor of Rivers State. It was this period that Port Harcourt made history by becoming the first Sub-Sahara African City to emerge the UNESCO World Book Capital in 2014, ahead of cities like Oxford, Moscow, Lyon and Incheon. This feat was achieved as a result of deliberate leadership effort geared towards reforming the educational system, which was at the brink of collapse.
The Amaechi-led administration pursued robust policies that transformed Rivers State into a sort of educational haven. It literarily declared a state of emergency in the State’s education sector, totally overhauled it from primary to tertiary education, and ensured that the system had strengthened capacities to deliver quality education.
This ardent resolve to improve education and guarantee its sustained development was followed by massive infrastructural revolution; construction and equipping of 450 standard model Primary Schools across the State; building of additional 6 new world-class Secondary Schools; a record breaking recruitment of 13,210 teachers in one fell swoop, making Rivers the first and only state in Nigeria to do so; training and retraining of teachers; prompt promotion of Staff; review of the school curriculum in tandem with global standards; equipping of schools with teaching aids, such as computers, laboratories, libraries, projectors; ensuring improved and conducive learning environments and the establishment of a University of Education to produce quality teaching workforce. Through the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) established under his administration as Governor, so many Rivers sons and daughters were awarded scholarship to study abroad in various sensitive and critical fields.
Additionally, the Amaechi regime declared free education, with free school items such as bags, books, sandals, uniforms and free feeding, to motivate students and assist poor parents in training their children. Education was thus not only made accessible, but also affordable. Due to these incentives, public schools competed effectively with their private counterparts. It was this massive facelift given to education that earned Port Harcourt the 2014 UNESCO World book capital.
The health sector is another area Amaechi delivered lasting legacies. A 2014 Expert report indicated that Nigeria could be losing at least N576 Billion yearly to medical tourism, due to deplorable healthcare facilities and lack of qualified personnel.
While ordinary Nigerians in several other States bore the brunt of inadequately funded healthcare system and decrepit hospitals, Rivers residents had a different story to tell, as the Amaechi-led Government transformed healthcare delivery in the State, making it the envy of other States.
To address the dire straits in the health sector, Amaechi embarked on a sector-wide institutional reform and provided state-of-the-art primary healthcare facilities and ensured an even spread of these facilities round the State, thereby, effectively reducing undue pressure on secondary healthcare centres in the State.
Amaechi placed high premium on access to healthcare delivery by the provision of free healthcare services for children and the aged, free caesarian sections, free HIV/AIDS prevention and management, free malaria prevention and treatment, free polio prevention and disease control. People thronged from all parts of Nigeria in droves to Rivers State to access these free services.
Furthermore, with 160 modern primary healthcare centres across the State; the Kesley Hayford Specialist Hospital; the Maxilo-Facial Specialist Hospital; the One billion capacity self-destruct syringe factory; the bio-larvicidal factory; the Kelsey Harrison Specialist Hospital; the upgrade of the Mother and Child wing of the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital; the Nimi- Briggs Hospital, the proposed 1000-bed Karibi Whyte Hospital Centre, the employment of over 400 Medical Doctors, 500 Nurses and Midwives at a go, the health sector in Rivers State was therefore given a gargantuan boost and support to drastically reduce medical trips outside the State.
The agricultural sector was not left out by the superb touch of the “wonderboy” , as Amaechi is often referred to by his admirers. Investments made in the agricultural sector led to the establishment of major agricultural projects like Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm; the Buguma Fish farm; the revitalisation of Risonpalm and the Banana plantation. Also initiated were the Rumuewhor rice project, the Etche Agricultural village and the rehabilitation of the State-owned Delta Rubber Development Company. Several agricultural programmes that encouraged and empowered small scale farmers with grants/loans to venture into large scale farming were also instituted.
In the area of security , Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi became the governor of Rivers State, when the state was in a dire state of security jeopardy. Security had almost entirely collapsed, as cultists and gangsters were on the rampage, having overwhelmed the security system on ground then. The citizens were living at the mercy of these criminals, and were subjected to a lot of inhuman treatments, as death tolls and casualties kept increasing tremendously on a daily basis.
It was under this precarious condition that Amaechi became the Governor of Rivers State in 2007. The task to combat and contain these criminals was herculean. But true to his nature, he rose up to the situation, not lacking the courage and willpower to contain the ravaging menace. Within 6 Months upon his assumption of office as the Governor, the insecurity was brought to normalcy. The criminals were either arrested or chased away, and peace returned once more to the State, thereby creating an enabling environment for business activities to increase. Amaechi was able to secure this through the conscious and strategic implementation of viable security measures and well thought out strategies, including partnering with an Isreali security architecture in training, exchanges, intelligence gathering, and setting up the renowned C4i at various entry points to the State capital. These moves drastically wiped out the activities of criminals, militants and cultists that terrorized the State at the time.
Road construction received massive boost like it had never had before. He constructed so many good roads of International class, with standard drainages, dual carriageways, flyovers/interchanges and street lights , empowered by solar system. These roads were constructed both in the rural and urban areas.
Human Capital Development was given priority attention by Amaechi as a Governor. Aside the earlier mentioned employment of 13,210 teachers at a time, over 5000 students were awarded both foreign and local scholarships at various levels, 400 medical doctors, 500 nurses and midwives were also employed and fully equipped at a go, the Local Government Service Commission employed over 10,000 staff, TIMARIV, the traffic control outfit engaged over 1000 personnel, while The Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority and the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency(RSSDA) had a combined manpower of over 500 well remunerated staff capacity. Many other sectors of the State received their fair share of the human capital improvements. To him, a thriving society must have the necessary manpower to make things work effectively.
It is without doubt that Amaechi determines to excel in any task entrusted to him. As Minister of Transportation, Amaechi has effortlessly replicated same laudable feats in the Transportation sector and has left no one in doubt about his innate capacity to chart new paths, break new grounds and surpass expectations.
The massive revolution in the hitherto comatose railway sector speaks volumes of his unwavering commitments to the growth of our dear nation. Under his watch, the Railway sector has experienced a massive turnaround and has become a preferred and most affordable means of Transportation across the nation.
Some of his giant strides in this sector include, purchase and usage of modern trains and coaches, the 186km Abuja- Kaduna rail line, the 284km Kano- Maradi rail line, the 2700km Lagos-Kano rail line, the 156km Lagos- Ibadan rail line, the 326km Warri – Itakpe rail line, the proposed 1400km Lagos- Calabar and the 1443km Port Harcourt – Maiduguri rail lines, Nigerians are witnessing a proactive and consistent effort towards connecting the entire nation with a functional railway system.
Amaechi is an outstanding bridge builder and unifier. His close asscociates and friendship circle cuts across all the artificial divides of religion, ethnicity, race , sex , class and their likes. He sees everyone as equal before the Almighty, only privileged to occupy whatever position by the intervention of the circumstances of time and space. Therefore, discrimination of any guise should be discouraged and condemned in its entirety .
Though born of Ikwerre parentage of the Iboic extraction of Rivers State , he identifies with every shades of class or group of people. This is reflected in all his doing. He sees himself as a Yoruba , Hausa-Fulani , Igbo, Ibibio, Ijaw and the rest.
Amaechi is also a bridge between the young and the old generations. Being of middle aged, disposes him to interact with both divides. He knows their problems and can adequately proffer solutions to them when saddled with such responsibilities. He interfaces with all classes of persons to ensure peaceful coexistence in the society, which is paramount to him.
A man of proven integrity and impeccable character, honest, forthright and diligent in his work.
A workaholic, who holds the virtue of accountability in high esteem. A man not lacking but sufficiently endowed with grace and courage to break barriers. With him as the president, Nigeria will become the cynosure of all nations, as he will transform the nation to an enviable height.
Dear Nigerians, the President Buhari-led government has made significant impacts in many critical sectors. These gains can only be consolidated by someone with proven competence and track-record of performance and service delivery,one with the requisite experience, who truly understands the President Buhari vision, the critical need of the people of Nigeria and possesses the political will to improve on these achievements . A go-getter, reformer, performer and bridge builder ,who can unify Nigeria and douse the mounting ethnic tensions in the country, which has contributed to the ravaging security challenges.
He is young, experienced, focused, result-oriented and patriotic. As a former President of the National Union of Rivers State Students; a former Special Assistant to a former Governor of Rivers State; a former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly; a two term Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures Of Nigeria; a two term Governor; a two term Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum; a two term Director-General of a Presidential Campaign Organization; a two term Minister of Transportation, Amaechi has the required experience and exposure to fix the challenges facing the nation.
At this time of our nation’s history, Nigeria requires the ascension to the presidency, someone with that requisite experience, impeccable character , a bridge builder with proven regards of service delivery, a patriotic Nigerian and a man possessing sufficient courage to confront situations . Surely,these are major quality components that should be expected from anyone who aspires to lead the country in 2023.
One man that has earned much accolades and adjudged successful in the aforementioned areas by the vast majority of the Nigerian populace, including even his avowed haters, is His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Experience, they say, is the best teacher. When it relates to experience in government, Amaechi is an epitome of such in our present Nigeria, having served in various capacities, from the Local Government, State , and now the Federal level.
There is no gainsaying the fact that at this time, Nigeria needs someone who can deploy his vast experience to bear in governance. These wealth of experience of the workings of government at the various cadres, their nitty-gritty and intricacies, will enable him administer a seamless government that will stimulate the system for maximum gains.
Government is a continuous process, therefore, for efficacious and sustainable implementations of projects , especially longterm ones, it is better for a successor to share some extent of principles and ideologies in terms of service delivery with his predecessor.
As an integral part of the PMB administration, Amaechi is best positioned to leverage on the foundation laid and the achievements of the Government, for continuous implementations of projects that are ongoing, and other programmes in the overall masterplan of the present government. Moreso, his creativity and innovative acumen are great assets that will be of immense benefits to the country
One major factor in assessing a good government is the quantity and quality of service delivery. Amaechi has performed excellently in every ramification, when service delivery of world-class standards is put into cognisance. He is a locus classicus in this aspect.
In every position he has held, Amaechi has no doubt performed creditably and set standards , comparable to the best parts of the world. His exposure and penchant for quality, makes him settle for nothing less than what is expected of any developed society.
Amaechi is passionate about the wellbeing of the nation, Nigeria, and willing to sacrifice all for its betterment . His patriotism to Nigeria knows no bound.
Dear Nigerians , once again we present to you His Excellency Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This can however, only be possible if we all accord him the needed support.
He transformed Rivers State for the better as Governor. He is currently performing wonders as the Minister of Transportation. He will surely position Nigeria strategically for the best internationally, if elected President in the 2023 General Elections. We therefore humbly urge you all to so support, as we collectively make history.
Yes we can, Yes we believe, Yes it is Possible!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
God bless you all!
Thank you!
Chief Alex Wele
National President
Barr. Forgive Amachree
General Secretary.
