Nigeria’s former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, for the first time since he lost in the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022 has said he chose to remain silent about the situation in the country because the people would do nothing about it.
Amaechi said this on Thursday at the TheNiche annual lecture in Lagos as a guest speaker where he delivered a lecture on: “Why We Stride and Slip: Leadership, Nationalism and the Nigerian Condition”.
While lamenting the docile nature of Nigerians, the former Rivers State Governor said there is nothing new to say because Nigerians don’t react to anything no matter how glaring.
According to the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Nigerians would still vote for corrupt politicians despite allegations of corruption.
His words, “What is new to say, Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? Which politician told you he went to university, which politician told you she served in NYSC, and which politician told you he has his certificate?
“Nigerians know and still vote for them, so what is your problem? I say why should I speak when already there’s nothing new
“Nigerians choose who to believe and who not to believe, Nigerians choose who to vote and who not to vote. Even if you come to a Nigerian man’s house and kill his mother, the father will continue his life. Nothing bothers you, nothing, so why should I waste my time?
“I chose not to speak again because there was nothing to say and because Nigerians would do absolutely nothing. If you say it’s a lie, line up 10 Nigerians and shoot them tomorrow, nothing will happen.
“The worst thing about Nigerians is that even if you say you are not committing any crime and they pick you up tomorrow, ‘We said it, he’s a thief,’ Nigerians will join and chorus it and you will go to prison for nothing.”
Commenting on the memoir of Hadiza Bala Usman, the former Director General of the Nigerian Ports Authority under the Ministry of Transport, Amaechi said the book contained many lies about him.
Amaechi denied Usman’s claims in the book that he was behind her removal as NPA boss.
It could be recalled that Usman was appointed MD of the ports authority in July 2016 and she was sacked in May 2021 following allegations of corruption
Weighing in on the matter, Amaechi said Usman was indicted by the panel despite her denial and she was found guilty of the 10 counts leveled against her.
According to him, the facts were presented to the former president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Amaechi disclosed that the former NPA boss approved a contract up to N2.5 billion which was more than the approval limit of N2.5 million.
He said, “Some of you must have read the book written by the former MD of the NPA, ‘Stepping on Toes.’ There has been a huge debate about whether I should respond or not. The lies were too many.
“For instance, she claims that she was not indicted by the panel but she was found guilty of all the 10 counts. I even came with a copy of the memo to the President in which the President endorsed her removal.
“We took the President through all the counts, including the fact that a Managing Director of NPA with a N2.5m approval limit can approve a N2.8bn contract. No appropriation, including the fact that even if I were to approve despite the lack of appropriation, you are overpriced by N58m so tell them to refund the difference, having awarded the contract.
“Why is that document not public? Prominent Nigerians are involved. She gave waivers to prominent Nigerians which she had no power to give and these are dollars accruable to the Nigerian economy but she was bold to write the book and Nigerians followed her to launch the book.”
