 Minister of Transportation Rotimiamechi has declared his interest in running for the 2023 presidential election. In a similar fashion, Vice President Yami Oshiba Joe has declared his presidential aspirations after months of speculation. This is Plus Politics and I'm Kofi Bartels. You're welcome. Over the weekend, Minister of Transportation Rotimiamechi declared his interest in running for the 2023 presidential presidency. Mechi, who had denied being interested in the race, declared his interest at the Adokia-Mesa-Marca Stadium in Port Hackett value of the River State All Progressives Congress Thanksgiving Service on Saturday. Amishi has been in government since 1999 serving two terms as Speaker of the River State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007 and two terms as Governor of River State from 2007 to 2015. He is one of the few ministers President Buhari reappointed in his second term in 2019. Here's the first member of President Buhari's cabinet to throw his hat into the ring and others interested in the 2023 race yet to make their intentions known. Well, joining us to analyze and discuss this interesting development, we have Dr. Samoan Oseke. He is Executive Chairman of the Aquari Local Government Area and a member of the People's Democratic Party in River State. Good evening to you, Samoan Oseke. Good evening. Thank you for this opportunity to be part of the show. Well, and as you can see, he's not alone. We have a convener of the Unity House Foundation and member of the All Progressives, Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in River State, Mr. Wenendaw, Chief Wenendaw Wali. Good evening to you, sir. Did I just hear, Chief? My name is Wenendaw Wali. I see them calling you Chief online. All right, gentlemen. Yes, gentlemen. Nice to have both of you on the program together. First of all, your thoughts, Wenendaw Wali, on the declaration of Rotimea Meci after months of speculation at that Thanksgiving service on Saturday. To allow just and I think what has just happened is somebody freely expressing his democratic rights as a citizen of this country, and that is the right to vote and the right to be voted for. So it is nothing really extraordinary, apart from the fact that the position which he intends to buy for is a very important position in the country or any country whatsoever. It's a position that people take seriously and I think in my own judgment, it's eminently qualified to hold that office. But again, it's his decision and that decision is what he has taken to say, I want Nigerians to give me the opportunity and the benefit of the doubts and I was going to rather I'm going to do my bit and contribute my culture. That's all that he has done. Interesting. Dr. Samoanaseke, you're a chieftain of the People's Democratic Party in River State. But apart from being a chieftain of the PDP in River State, Dr. Wanske, you have previously worked with Rotimea Meci. What are your thoughts of him and his presidential aspirations as declared on Saturday? Dr. Wanske. First of all, like my brother, I've stayed here clearly, he's a constitutional right. He's a right that everybody in Nigeria has to express. If you feel your feet and you're prepared to run for office, there's no big deal making the intention known to people because at the end of the day it's all about service delivery. So this is right and there's no big deal about him coming to the ring. Like you felt like I told people. We are proud that reverse people are daring where men don't want to dare. It shows clearly that our state is moving forward in the right direction. All right. We're also aware that your principle, the governor of River State, Chieftain Samoanaseke, has also declared his intention to be the next president of Nigeria on the platform of the PDP. I mean, how do you see this panning out as far as two river sons are concerned if both of them get the ticket of their respective parties? Who do you think is most eminently qualified? I know your answer already, but I just want to hear you say it. Yes. Thank you for knowing my answer. My answer is what you know that will not change because it will be a competition of no competitors. Men who have been at this activity at several stages and have result have been decided out of those activities. We've had elections in our states and so also Nigerians can judge us with our activities at various levels. Coincidentally, they've both been former governors. Coincidentally, they've both served as ministers and one can just say clearly is for the group of Nigerians to see who have done what. Each one I've done in service delivery. So as far as I'm concerned, it's going to be an interesting gift and I can tell you of Resolubo Yesomike, we're much victorious at the end of the day. All right. Your thoughts on the emergence not just of former governor Meche, but also the announcement by Governor Yesomike that he would like to be president of Nigeria as well. Do you see, how do you see this playing out for both men if they both get the tickets of their respective parties at the end of the day? I associate myself with the earlier comments, the earlier comments of my brother, I would rather not get official with him. Bambi, when you said that it's a classic statement of the level that reverse state politics has attained, that two sons of reverse states are to a large extent determining the terms of a political endowment in their political parties. So it's something that every reverse man should be proud of. As to comparing the two contestants, I won't venture into that and I'll tell you why. We are at the level of party nominations and it will be a little bit too hasty for me to start judging what will happen at the end of the day in general election. What we are concerned with is to support our leader, the right to be able to secure the party ticket. When that's in the bag, then we can go to Nigerians. So there's really no need counting our eggs before our chickens, before the eggs hatch. So being optimistic is one thing, but very realistic is the other thing. So for now we are focused on marketing Rotimiamechi amongst APC members. We don't want to beat the gun. But I would love the day that these two prominent equally sons, reverse sons, will see how it goes. Nigerians like you rightly mentioned, these are not millions of Nigerian politics. There's no Nigerian who is a politician who say he doesn't know, you are right on that. Or he doesn't know the attack on the governor of the river state. They are political actors and they are not underdogs by any measure. So Nigerians know enough about two of them to be able to make, if you like call it classical and important statements. Take decisions as to which of them best served in Nigerian states now. We're talking about service provision. I can say anything I want to say about chimiko Rotimiamechi because my friends, my brothers, my party leader. But Nigerians may have a different view together knowing what they know about him. So for now we are focused on the party primaries. When we get to bridge, we will cross it. All right, before I go back to Dr. Wanseke, when in the Wali, Chibuka Meshiewau announcing his intention to, declaring his intention to be in the presidential race to join the race. Outline his political history and his history of service to not just river state but Nigeria. We have other members of the Progressive Congress who have come out to announce their intention. Bola Mettinbu is there. You have his political protege who has said isn't his son. Today we saw that online. Vice President Yamio Shibajo declaring his intention in the morning. What stands Meshiewau that should persuade the members of the party, the delegates of the party to pick him above the others? I'm going to say this and I'm going to very frank and honest about it. The essence of being in a political party is to be able to influence policies. And the only way to influence policies is when you assess power. So at the end of the day, if you're going through elections, you must be able to present somebody who will be able to sign post-desperations of the political party. You're talking about service provision. You're talking about experience. You're talking about name recognition. It doesn't make sense at this stage to get people who people barely know and who have gone through a cycle in Nigeria. And people are clamoring that that's why I'm happy that the two of my brothers who are interested in being president in this country have youth on their side. They have energy on their side. They have experience and exposure on their side. But when it gets to Roti Miyamichi, for somebody who has been in politics since 1990, it became Speaker of the National Assembly for two times, became governor, two times governor, became minister where we can say point and purposes, two-term minister. What else do you need for somebody to be prepared to serve as president of this country? I can't begin to think of any other thing because there's nothing about Nigerians that don't know. And practically speaking, there's not about Nigeria that he doesn't know. So it's all about having the political win. And that's one thing that I know that it has in essence. And not even these enemies who say Roti Miyamichi lacks energy. Nobody says that. So I think at this point in time, what Nigeria is looking for is somebody who is strong, somebody who is vibrant, somebody who has experienced, somebody who has derived the passion and the intention and the good will too. And I think Roti Miyamichi captures all of this. That's why we think that it's best suited to be the best. It does not mean that the other candidates are not qualified. Don't forget them. Wendawali, are you there please? Can you hear me? Okay. Whilst we're trying to reconnect with Wendawali, it's time to bring back Samuel Wanaseke. Dr Wanaseke, you've heard what your brother Wendawali has been saying all this while. Do you agree that the credentials and the achievements, the record of service of Roti Miyamichi as governor of River State, as Speaker of the River State House of assembly, and now as Minister of Transportation standing in good stead to be president of Nigeria? Dr Wanaseke. Reverse people know better. In fact, you usually live in Potakot, so you know better. You've seen the Potakot administration, why you were in Potakot when you came over to Lagos. You know better. So for us, as opposed to looking at the pride of the reverse man, he has broken all records done to governance in river states. Even the leaders of these states in the past have come publicly to say we worked as governors, but this, our son, who is governor of River State, has brought a classic touch to governance and governmental achievements. Dr Wanaseke was the Minister for State Education. His policies and programs are yet to be beaten. His records are yet to be beaten in the Ministry of Education, as we speak. Even a substantive minister, Nigerians know the achievements of Wanaseke. The popular image in the school, the popular guess out of guess out of guess out of school education that his ministry impact on why it was Minister for Education, the revamping of the unity schools and modernizing the elaborate situation in the unity schools all over the country. That was a classic of Wanaseke and Wanaseke attracting wonderful projects, tangible projects to educational system in river states. It's something irreversible, applaud our ways. Wanaseke attracted the law school, the legal education of the University of Potakot. As we hear it, has done so much as the governor of River State today that even the vice president, who is from all progressive Congress, have declared the Mr. Quality Project, not worse, not twice, even in his first and his second term. He reaffirmed it when he came to commission the special police units in Omoga Community, close to the airport on Mawa. And when you see a man that is loved by his colleagues, governors, and a man that is a star player in his party, you would know the voice of UK is a candidate to be in the forthcoming primaries of the most democratic party. And by the grace of God Almighty, Nigerian people, knowing the fate and the agony they face today, knowing that virtually even in the declarations statements of the U.S. Secretary of State and vice president, and those of progressive Congress, who have declared to be president, you hear them agreeing clearly that their government has failed, that they are aware that Nigeria is... You've reeled out... Correct, to correct the round, the principle between, you know, that is admission, that is self-admitting, that our administration, that we are part of, has failed, and that it is time to pack our bags and leave. Nigeria is certainly for the people of the country, but... Okay, okay. Well, do you agree, what are your thoughts on what someone has said, you know, that the minister of transportation along with his other colleagues in his declaration speech admitted that the APC, the federal government under President Buhari, has failed, and that that's what they're coming to correct. Do you agree with that point of view? I don't know where he got the information from, maybe some other person had said that, some other aspirant had said that, but I'm not aware that there was any statement where the right-wing local typical Ritimi Amici alluded to the failure of any sorts. All he was talking about there was that there is room for improvement. He has admitted to the fact that, yes, things are difficult in this country, and he said quickly, it didn't start today, and we're not going to fix them tomorrow morning. But one thing is certain, that we have the energy, we have the desire to be able to change things and tell our story differently, and that's what anybody who is part of the team is expected to do. Ritimi is a team player, and he cannot, not under any kind of condition, say that a man here has served you, that we are supporting him in every way possible, that has made his ministry the one that he talked about in town, and he said the tax system failed, I go to Minnesota, it's not the same program we watched, it's not the same program that you're going to watch, but I understand the politics of spinning, I understand the politics of trying to try to wind, like they say, the street parlance. But the point here is that we are not interested, when I say we, I'm talking about the Ritimi and Miki political family, we're not interested in what our opponents in the PDP will say for now, let them be patient, hold their fire. The time will come when we will tell Nigerians who Ritimi is, and whomever PDP is going to throw up against, we're only praying to God that by the special grace that Ritimi becomes the flag bearer of the APC, when that time comes, Nigerians will ask Mr. A and Mr. B what have you got to offer, Nigerians will have the benefit of going to check up a pedigree, Nigerians will come and check our records, it's not about spinning, it's not about screaming, no, we'll get to the point where Nigerians are no fools, there's a lot of optics in politics, but the facts we speak for themselves, when that time comes, we're telling APC people that if you want your best food forward, Ritimi is that person, and one of the reasons why he's telling… Dr. Watosuke, you've heard from your counterpart, but I mean, what's your assessment of the minister's performance in charge of the transportation ministry? We've seen the trains crisscrossing the country, revival of the rail sector, you know, despite the challenges in terms of insecurity. So I'd like you to talk about, you know, the transformation of the rail sector in Nigeria under Ritimi Amitias as you perceive. Yeah, first of all, before I do that, I want to remind my brother that Nigerians are listening to him, and Nigerians watch on live tennis television the speech read by Ritimi Amitias himself. And that speech is online, and I want you to do this program in favor of rolling a clip of that speech by side by side with the speaker making so that Nigerians can know who is receiving that. I did not write Ritimi Amitias' speech, I didn't do it. He wrote his speech, he wrote his speech. His wife held the copy of the speech, clicked by page as he was reading them. Nigerians heard him say clearly that he's aware that we are in trouble at times, he's aware of this security in Nigeria. He accepted, he himself accepted that the economy of Nigeria is impacting Ritimi's speech. So what's my brother coming to tell us, we didn't write this speech. Vice President Osibajo in his own declaration this morning agreed that, yes, but he is saying that President Mohammad Bari also have led a foundation he wants to continue. That of Vice President Osibajo in his speech was are we continue from. I know that there are crises, I know that we are in the worst situation. If the Vice President have said clearly that in the worst situation, unless you oppose it with the promises that was made in 2014 that brought the oppressive progress to power. It's like my brothers are forgetting that promises were made to Nigerians. Okay, where in the Waliya are you there please? Yeah, I'm back, sorry, sorry for the... Yeah, okay, okay, let's allow Kingsley Wali to respond to what you've said before we come back to you. Wali, please go on. Let me finish my talk, let me say I was giving a thought, I was giving a thought. Okay, okay, in one sentence. Because I want us to move to another question I have here, that's why. No, let me finish my talk and you ask me a question I'm not answering. So you can just bring me out. No, I'll come back to that, I'll come back to that as Samuel wants to. I'll come back to that, definitely. It's obvious that promises were made to Nigerians that they will fight in security and that six months in office that the security will be a tune of the past because they are bringing a general who fought Maitasini when he was the head of state. Yes, I just want us to lose the very important point you made. He said Kingsley Wali should go and check out the video. So let's allow him to respond to that, I'll come back to you. One of the Wali, he says that you're not being truthful to Nigerians, I hope you heard all he said. You should check the video out, his wife was holding a copy of the speech and that he did admit that this administration under Buhari has failed. What do you say to that? I'm worried to get into he said, I said, he said, I said, I just listened to him. And he said that this was a troubled time, that these times were difficult and it was a global phenomenon. He said that much. And who does not know that the economic recession, the worldwide, who does not know that the Ukraine-Russia crisis is affecting the economy of the world? Who does not know that insecurity in Nigeria? Who does not know that? Who does not know the fact that insecurities in that part of the country has been on there? Who does not know that Hedda's farmer strike has been something historical? All he is saying is that yes, these things are there. We are doing our bit to fix them. But one thing is certain, we hope we'll be able to fix them. He's not giving up hope. Are you agreeing with Sambo Wanaseke that indeed the minister admitted that the Buhari administration has failed, but that it's because of the global situation? Are you agreeing with him? Yes, I agree now. No, Sambo, please. Mr. Wali, are you there, sir? Okay. We seem to have lost Wali. I apologize for that. We'll try and get back to him. But Sambo Wanaseke, let's go on to the performance of the minister under the transportation ministry. And some of the achievements that I talked about, the transformation of the rail sector, you can see that that sector was dead and now it's come alive despite the challenges which are not caused by the minister or the ministry. These are security challenges outside his control. So what are your thoughts on the performance of Rotimi Amishi as a transportation minister? Coffee matters. You're talking to Nigerians. How can you say that the railway sector was dead when Guloka Village Jonathan concluded Kaduna, and Amishi during the commissioning agreed with Mr. President few months after they came on board that yes, this project they are commissioning today was started and finished by Guloka Village Jonathan's administration that they merely came and commissioned it. He said, so, go to go where you see his speech. So why would you say that? If you say that Rotimi Amishi's ministry of transportation has borrowed so much that has endangered our future as Nigerians from Chinese government in a Mandarin language that would not know the terms and conditions of those blooms and how they can be paid back. Even when the National Assembly came to question him in the House Committee of Foreign Loans he told them, I am not going to answer you any question until the Chinese government released the loan to do Botakot Pedukri Lei. After I have received that loan, I will not come and answer your question. I will ask myself what kind of leader is this? A leader that would want to play without the rules. A leader that would not want to obey the rules. But will it be fair? Yes, someone would want to say that to accuse the minister of any kind of impropriety as far as the award of contracts for the construction of rail network in Nigeria is concerned because he does not approve these things. It goes through a process, a procurement process and of course you have the Federal Executive Council that does approve. Whether it's in Mandarin or not. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Nigerians are watching these events. We don't televised them. They televised them. The uprooted Supreme Congress is in charge of the National Assembly. Those who are calling for the probe are members of National Assembly. I am not a member of National Assembly. I am a local government chairman for Karen and La. But I watch on television and I see the House Committee drill the Honorable Minister. We have a record. These things that have trended, tweets that have trended, videos that have trended by the ministers making that speech. So what are you telling us? Are you telling us that we will forget so easily? The statement made by the minister. But the president has not had any complaint. I mean all the contracts are approved by the Federal Executive Council. I am saying that the minister said so himself. And maybe you are forgotten. Go back to Google. We have it in the cloud. I am going back to the question you asked me. I thought I am confined. We have not seen any achievement from the Rosemary Cavendish administration as minister for two terms. Even with the... Hold on, hold on, hold on. Somewhere, somewhere. Even with the flag, with the construction of the Podhakot Medugri rail line which is ongoing as we speak. The minister was there over the weekend and they are trying to speed things up. You know, you have... Okay, hold on now, hold on. It's not a shame. It's not an embarrassment to the people of Fiverty that after you have come to declare your intention to be president the next day is when you have come to say you are flagging up the modern of the railway. But they had already started somewhere. Every Nigerian... I'll have to complicate to Nigeria. Every Nigerian is aware that our entered election moves. Every Nigerian is aware that our infiltrator Hibechi would not even have a time to look at one side. Every Nigerian is aware that our infiltrator Hibechi has been consulting because since the declaration on to be president that the fight against its progressive Congress facing a man like Assuadjoul, Bola Mechini Puk and the vice president and Yaebelu as those who are running against him in the party primaries would give him that leverage to even know what is happening. See, we have passed that stage as Nigerians. I like it. We know what is happening. Okay. If you say you wanted to work for them, you had seven years plus of time in your hand from the first month in office, you would have started showing your people. All right. Love your state. You want to give back the difference of democracy for them. Remembering the way you came into power by using the military mind to force votes out of your people. That is all for the debate. But let's bring back Wendah Wally at this point somewhere. Wendah Wally, are you there please? I'm very much around. Okay. You've heard your counterpart, Sawa Wanoseke, you know, give his own view on the performance of the honorable minister as in charge of the ministry of transportation. Coffee, there's something that I've always said that the moment we're able to arise at both the level of screaming or shouting at ourselves and holding civilized conversations that is going to be possible for us to hear what that person is saying. You know, so what I'm saying is that there is this culture of throwing muck, you know, here in the hope that one would just stick. Not because there are facts. If you remember, I said from the very beginning that I want to deal with the process of getting APC members to nominate, to nominate Rotimi Amici as our candidate. The one who get to that part of the election proper, the Nigerians will be included. If it's River State, Rotimi was appointed minister of transportation in charge of River State. And I think to the extent of the brief and the mandate that was given to him by the federal government of Nigeria at the behest of the president or the federal public of Nigeria, Rotimi Amici has been able to distinguish himself. And it is not too wrong if I said that the impression most will have across the land is that he is a star boy of his administration. We are not running and when that time comes, we're going to be able to tell Nigerians what he did as governor of River State and what he did as a minister. Nigerians will then be able to put things together and decide who best serves the interests of this country. Is it those who are screaming around the whole place or those who are able to like show what they have been able to do? Governance is a very serious business and I can tell you that for free. Nigerians will make that judgment and that judgment will be informed by what they know and what they have seen on ground. You cannot deny the fact that one of the bright spots of this administration is in the area of transportation. Let me just recount something here please. Under Rotimi Amici, our waterways have become safer internationally to the extent that the IMO, the International Midterm Organization, has moved Nigeria from the list of the most teleprone, what do you call it, seas or waterways. Under Rotimi Amici, the leaky deep seaport, the first seaport in West Africa, is being completed. Under Rotimi Amici, we're having some network issues with you. We cannot take all the achievements but I'm sure we'll have another time. Dr. Sama Wanaseke, you had him say that Rotimi Amici was not appointed minister for our translation for River State but minister of translation for Nigeria. I wish we had time to take your thoughts but Dr. Wanaseke and Winenda Wali, it's been a thrill having both of you share your thoughts on the presidential aspirations of the minister of transportation. We would love to have both of you back if possible for a longer time, maybe throughout the program so we can analyze. We'll be monitoring our TVs but thank you very much for your time gentlemen. All right, we're joined by Dr. Sama Wanaseke, Executive Chairman of the Aquari local government area in River State and of course, Winenda Wali. He is the convener of Unity House Foundation and also a chief team of the APC in River State. Sama is a chief team of the PDP in River State. Thanks for staying with us. We'll take a short break and when we return, Professor Yamio Shiba Joe has joined the presidential race. We'll be right back.