Seventy-two hours after declaring to run for president in 2023, the National Executive Committee of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called for the resignation of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, saying the timing was inappropriate following the bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna train by terrorists.
The youths said it was shocked to see Amaechi “in a total political jamboree, jumping around in the name of declaring for the 2023 presidency rather than being in a sober mood of seeking solutions to the pains of the grieving Nigerians and particularly the affected families.”
It called on the minister to apologise to Nigerians for his “indiscretion of elevating his personal ambition over a national tragedy and a national sad mood.”
The NYCN, at the end of its emergency meeting in Abuja, urged the minister to resign within the next 48 hours or be sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari as a mark of respect for the dead, who he deliberately or unwittingly desecrated.
In a communique signed by the NYCN President, Solomon Adodo, the group said: “It was, therefore, the rudest imaginable shock for them to see the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi in a total political jamboree, jumping around in the name of declaring for the 2023 presidency rather than being in a sober mood of seeking solutions to the pains of the grieving Nigerians and particularly the affected families.
“While the NYCN has nothing against Amaechi’s aspiration, his actions is unconscionable, condemnable, reprehensible, irresponsible, distasteful and disgraceful in the face of our national reality and mood. It is tantamount to dancing on the graves of the victims of the train attack, and celebrating the pains of the abducted and the wounded.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NYCN is equally saddened that Amaechi, who is supposed to take responsibility and lead the way in ameliorating the plight of the victims, has rather thrown caution to the winds and shown no strand of care.
“We are frustrated that while we are spending our resources, and risking the lives of the youth leaders in trying to seek solutions to our national challenges, politicians in the class of Amaechi who have failed Nigeria in the first place, are working to force the country into fatal amnesia by trivialising a matter as serious as the Abuja-Kaduna rail track bombing.
“In all, the NYCN is very disappointed that a leader of Amaechi’s standing and experience could be this insensitive to Nigerians. The NYCN has always resisted the temptation to view him as a careless, arrogant and unfeeling leader, as many of his critics argue.
“Sadly, however, the event of Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Port Harcourt points unequivocally in that direction as far as his true character is concerned.
“Since the only important thing in this country to him is his aspiration for the presidency, he should therefore vacate the Ministry of Transport before worse disasters hit us.”
