Former transport minister Rotimi Amaechi, a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has told delegates in the party’s forthcoming presidential primary election not to listen to other APC presidential hopefuls.

Mr Amaechi appealed to the delegates to shun politicians with deceitful tendencies who would come to them for votes and urged them to consider his track record of achievements over the years in public service.

“I have come to beg you to elect me because you are the most important politicians now in APC. Don’t be deceived by politicians who would come here to speak English. ”I have worked with two of your governors. I have the capacity to deliver. Check my work in the ministry of transportation, I delivered the Abuja-Kaduna railway,” the ex-minister stated. “I started the  Kano-Kaduna railway, I started the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway, I completed the Warri-Itakpe railway and completed the Lagos-Ibadan railway. I changed the face of the maritime sector, so I am tested and I am trusted. All I can say to you is to go out on that day and vote for me.”

He stated this at a consultative meeting with delegates of the APC in Lafia, Nasarawa. He also met with Governor Abdullahi Sule to inform him of his plans to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Mr Amaechi, a revamped sector will in turn help in creating wealth and employment opportunities for the masses. He noted that one of the woes of the nation’s economy was the shift from agriculture by successive governments to service economy.

“I will fight to change the economy by focusing on agriculture. I will also invest in the manufacturing and productive industries. The problem of Nigeria is that we moved into the service industry and we have refused to pay attention to production,” explained the ex-Rivers governor. “So, you see somebody producing chicken, he doesn’t have a processing factory, he doesn’t have an abattoir that will kill the chicken, process it and sell it as a finished product.”

He further stated, “If you have a processing factory you will employ more hands. So, we will depend on states like Nasarawa that have a very high level of practice in agriculture, and that will change the face of Nasarawa state.”

Responding, Mr Sule said, “Sir, you don’t have to sell yourself to me at all. I may know you more than you think I do. One introduction about you that was not done is the doggedness of who you are, you are a dogged fighter. You fought to emerge as the chairman of the governor’s forum. You fought to become the Rivers governor. Everything about you, you fought to get them.”

The Nasarawa governor added, ”So, today you are fighting to be the president of Nigeria, I wish you well.  The most amazing thing is the intimidating team you have been able to put together, a lot of people in your team are well known to me.”

(NAN)