By Uzoma Akobundu
Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi shocked his Igbo audience in Awka Anambra State in Wednesday when he told them that they are better off now under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari than in the previous government.
Amaechi was speaking as guest lecturer at the 12th convocation lecture if the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka,Anambra State.
In what looked like a subtle campaign for Buhari, Amaechi who compared the current administration with the one before it said the Igbo are better off now in terms of infrastructure available in Igbo land than during the regime if the People’s Democratic Party where the then government empowered a few Igbo and left the entire landscape desolate.
Amaechi spoke on the topic: ” The Igbo in the politics if Nigeria.”
He went memory lane to draw the attention of the audience to the history of the Igbo and their leaders if the yore, and how such leaders persevered in the face of challenges.
He encouraged the Igbo to remain committed to the entity called Nigeria the way great Igbo like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe did all through his national and patriotic struggle in Nigeria.
Amaechi cautioned the Igbo against embracing the PDP and the All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA) as vehicles to actualise their political dream in Nigeria describing the parties as regional.
Prominent Igbo attended the lecture including the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo , Nnia John Nwodo and the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Joe Ahaneku among others.