TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has reappointed Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, as the director-general of his election campaign, THISDAY is reporting.

Amaechi was the director-general of Buhari’s campaign in 2015.

Although Buhari has not made his reelection bid public, there are indications that the president seeks to remain in office till 2023.

Many groups and top politicians have endorsed Buhari but the president has tried as much as possible to maintain neutrality on his reelection, at least in the public.

THISDAY said Amaechi has been issued a letter of appointment for next year’s election and would make an official announcement on it “anytime soon”.

David Iyiofor, spokesman of the minister, could not be reached for comments as he neither responded to calls nor reply the text message sent.

Many supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lauded Amaechi for his contribution to the emergence of this government.

To project Buhari, the minister, who governed Rivers state between 2007 and 2015, descended heavily on former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election, creating an inroad for the APC.

Amaechi did not hold back words in his criticisms of the immediate past president.

The minister is said to have consulted with “critical stakeholders” in government, the ruling party and the country, to first seek their buy-in and enjoin them to join the 2019 election bid.

Quoting a source, the newspaper said some key members of the ruling party were not carried along.

In December, Daily Trust reported that 14 APC governors were angry for not being invited to two meetings organised by Amaechi and Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state.

Daily Trust said separate meetings held at the Abuja residence of Amaechi in October and December.

“Even though the meetings were initially billed as ‘political consultation’, they were actually meant to extract a pledge of allegiance to President Muhammadu Buhari to emerge as APC’s candidate,” the report read.

The 2019 election would of no doubt generate interest as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched different measures to take back power from the party which ended its 16-year reign.

Other political groups are also springing up.