To ensure Abuja indigenes do not feel marginalised, the former Minister of Transportation and a presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi has promised to give the status of a state to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) if given the support.
Amaechi gave the assurance on Tuesday during an interactive session with FCT delegates of the All-Progressive Congress (APC) ahead of the party primary.
He noted that if he becomes the president of Nigeria, he would make the FCT enjoy what states are enjoying especially in terms of appointments.
“Where you give us two females, there must be one man. Where you give us two men, there must be one woman, preferably, one man, one woman and one youth. When they bring those names, the leadership of the party at the national level will sit and choose one out of the three. The only ones I will be privileged to appoint would be the extras.
“I will treat you like a state, but you must give me the power to treat you like a state by voting for me. If given the chance, the FCT Minister will be from the FCT.
“All of us will participate collectively. So that if we fail or succeed, all of us will be participants in either the failure or the success, but I can assure you we won’t fail because I’ve never failed. As Speaker, as Governor, as Minister, you can see the railways,” he assured.
On the safety of rail transport, he said: “We have put security in place so that those who will travel as soon as they (NRC) resumes (train service on Abuja-Kaduna rail line) on the 23rd will not have challenges. We have agreed with the Air Force that they will over-fly the trains so that anybody they see trying to compromise the tracks, they will shoot. People who have no business being on the track should stay away because if they see anything suspicious, they will shoot.”
In his reaction, the leader of APC in the FCT, Senator Isa Maina said he is impressed with his credentials, adding that the former minister is a man of his words.
The New Diplomat recalled that President Buhari had directed all serving ministers, heads of government agencies, departments, parastatals; ambassadors and other political appointees with political ambitions for the forthcoming 2023 general elections to resign from their respective positions which the former minister complied on Monday.
