Vote Buhari, to continue railway modernization - Amaechi
The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has urged Nigerians to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari, to continue his railway modernization project across the country.
Amaechi, who spoke at the commencement of a three-month free service on the first section of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge which was test-run from Lagos to Abeokuta on Friday, said: “We need your votes to take this train to Kano.”
Dignitaries embarked on the train ride from Iju in Lagos to Abeokuta, about 61 kilometers of the entire 156-kilometer stretch of the project. The train took off from Kilometer 21 and stopped at Kilometer 82 in Laderin, Abeokuta.
In the train were the transportation minister, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, the paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Managing Director of the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), Jiang Yigao, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr. Fidet Okhiria, among others.
The train which took off around 10:25 arrived Abeokuta after about two hours and was received by many dignitaries including the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Amaechi declared that the occasion was not a commissioning but a test-run, saying as from today (Friday) a three-month free train service would commence. He said the train would run thrice daily to enable people go to work in Lagos and return to Ogun state.
Nobel Laureate, Soyinka disclosed that the route of the modern railway project took part of his hunting grounds, adding however, that he felt gratified with the project.
The literary icon warned against politicizing the project, saying: “This is not a political vote gathering occasion but my house is somewhere in that direction, not far from here and this used to be part of my hunting ground so I came to see what my hunting ground was appropriated and so far, so content.”
Governor Amosun on his part said though the occasion was not a political gathering the person who made the project happen should be re-elected saying.
The paramount ruler of Ogun State who started with a musical rendition commended President Buhari for making the standard gauge rail a reality after 119 years since the first narrow gauge which his forefathers used was inaugurated.