A leaked audio recording in which the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi allegedly described Nigeria as helpless and hopeless has surfaced online.
According to Premium Times, the recording was released by the campaign team of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Reno Omokri, the former new media aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier released a part of the recording on Twitter.
In the leaked audio, Amaechi allegedly said that President Buhari does not listen to anybody.
According to The Cable, the minister reportedly said “This country can never change, I swear. The only way this country can change is in a situation where everybody is killed.
“This country is going nowhere. When Magnus (Abe) was secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), I told him that this country is hopeless and helpless and he told me, ‘Oga, stop it’. This cannot be coming from a governor.
“But two months in Abuja, Magnus came to meet me and said, I agree with you; this country is hopeless and helpless. All they do in Abuja is to share money.
“I have already written to the governor of Katsina state and I don’t know why he has not replied to give us the land in Daura for a university in Daura. The next university would be in my village. There is a popular saying while we were growing up, that charity begins at home. Will my own begin abroad?
“The president does not listen to anybody. He doesn’t care. You can write what you want to write. Does he read? I was flying with him in the aircraft and we saw a news report where a goat seller was complaining that he couldn’t sell his goats during Sallah because of Buhari’s administration. And the president said what my business with goat sellers is?”
Premium Times reports that Atiku’s media aide, Phrank Shaibu revealed that Amaechi made the comment while interacting with some journalists.
Shaibu said the leaked audio has shown that those working with President Buhari does not believe in him.
He said “The President should just quit honourably instead of wasting tax payers monies on a failed reelection bid.
“The truth is that, the other day, the President confessed that the economy had collapsed under his watch.
“On another occasion , the wife confessed to the fact that, the cabal and not her dearest husband, President Buhari was in-charge of the country and now, the Director General Of his re-election campaign has confessed to the lack of capacity of President Buhari and the dismal failure of hid administration.
“Truth is, the President has established a record of failures which probably no other President would ever equal or erase. Mrs Aishat Buhari was partially correct when she stated that two people are preventing her husband from performing well. With this audio tape, if the two don’t include her husband then she is not completely being truthful.”
According to a tweet by Omokri, Tolu Ogunlesi, the head of Digital Communication at the presidency admitted that the voice on the recording is indeed Amaechi's.
The former presidential aide said Ogunlesi also said that the recording dates back to 2014 when the minister was talking about Jonathan.
Daily Post also reported that Ogunlesi, while reacting to the audio, said "Audio from 2014 or so. At the height of Amaechi’s fight with GEJ. In the (paraphrased) words of Victor AD - WETIN YOU GAIN? #DubaiStrategy"
Premium Times reports that Rotimi Amaechi’s spokesman, David Iyofor, when contacted, said that the minister’s team is still studying the audio recording.
Pulse has not been able to verify the authenticity of the recording making the rounds on social media.
Rotimi Amaechi is also the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council.