PDP tells Amaechi to resign over Buhari's reelection role

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to resign from his position amid reports that he has been appointed as President Muhammadu Buharis national campaign coordinator for his 2019 reelection bid.

In a statement released by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, on Thursday, January 4, 2018, the PDP accused the All Progressives' Congress (APC) of recklessly violating due process as Amaechi cannot remain a minister and act as the president's campaign manager at the same time, as enshrined in the constitution.

The statement read, "If APC has any strand of dignity, then Amaechi must resign as the Minister of Transportation having been appointed and already functioning as the DG of President Buhari's Campaign.

"Under the constitution of Nigeria, Mr. Amaechi cannot combine the job of a minister of the Federal Republic with another responsibility such as the DG of a campaign organisation.

"Amaechi's action in accepting the job while still holding office as minister is in clear breach of the oath of office and the oath of allegiance which he swore in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended). He should therefore resign his office as minister with immediate effect.

"Is it not instructive for Nigerians to now know that the APC has not the 'littlest' agenda on governance for our people and do not have the interest of Nigerians at heart. They have shown that all they care for is their selfish political and pecuniary interests."

The party further recalled that it followed due process when a former Minister of Works, Tony Anenih, resigned from his position after he was appointed to head the campaign of then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In the statement, the party urged Nigerians to make the APC pay for their misrule by voting the party out of office in the 2019 general elections.

Buhari's reelection status

While the president has refused to officially declare his intention to seek reelection in 2019, he has flirted around the topic in recent weeks.

While meeting with the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire in November, the president explained that he was accompanied to the meeting by two state governors because it will "be another vote for me in the future."

Also, while speaking during a two-day visit to Kano State a week later, the president said he's confident of winning reelection particularly due to the crowd turnout.

"I am overwhelmed by the sea of people I see, and by what I see today, if elections are contested I will no doubt win it," he said.

Hours after media reports indicated that Amaechi had been reappointed as Buhari's national campaign coordinator on Wednesday, January 3, the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, told journalists in the State House that the campaign for Buhari's reelection has officially taken off in the southwest region.