Former Governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi has ended speculation that he might team up as a running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 general elections.
There has been speculation that the former governor would deputize Atiku Abubakar, who is likely to emerge as the flagbearer of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking at a recent event in Abuja, Amaechi addressed the rumors head-on, framing his refusal as a matter of both personal stature and constitutional frustration.
Amaechi, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly, argued that his experience and political profile make a subordinate role untenable.
He said: “I will not be vice president to anybody. There are too many reasons why I won’t be vice president to anybody. The first reason is that I’m too presidential to be vice.”
Amaechi, who is also eyeing the presidential ticket of the ADC, the problem with the office of vice president is not ceremonial, it is structural.
The immediate past Minister of Transportation claimed that in Nigeria the office of the vice president is designed to be subordinate, often powerless, and depend entirely on the temperament of the president.
“We will quarrel, instead of that, I would rather be a minister than be a vice president”, Amaechi said.
