Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers, has reaffirmed his determination to contest the presidency in the 2027 elections.
The former minister of transportation revealed this in an interview on Frontline, a current affairs program on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, on Tuesday, February 17, as monitored by our correspondent.
Amaechi maintained that open competition within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would strengthen internal democracy.
“If I lose the primaries, I will be in the ADC. It is not about me; it is about installing a responsible government. But would I get the ticket? I think the answer is yes. I am the youngest of the three of us; I am 60. I don’t know how old Obi is, but I guess he should between 64 and 66. I am able to jump around. I am able to fly to wherever I need to fly to now.”
Amaechi added: “I am the most experienced of all the candidates in the ADC: I was speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term governor, chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, minister of transportation.
And I led a campaign for the first time in the history of Nigeria that took out the sitting president. Nobody wants to credit me with that.”
Furthermore, Amaechi alleged that the President Bola Tinubu administration has failed Nigerians by allegedly abandoning democratic ideals, drifting towards authoritarianism, and reportedly deploying state institutions to suppress dissent.
Amaechi stated that his decision to exit the All Progressives Congress (APC) was rooted in principle, not personal grudge. He said:
“The truth is simple. I did not agree with the choice of the presidential candidate. I did not believe he had the capacity to govern Nigeria. And I still do not believe so. What is happening today has only confirmed my position. If I believe that someone lacks capacity, how then do I remain in the same party supporting that leadership?
“That would make me dishonest. I had worked closely with him, so I knew exactly what I was talking about. Nigerians may not have had the opportunity to work with him closely, but I did. That experience shaped my judgment.”
He added, according to Blueprint.ng: “Tinubu preached democracy, but today, what we are seeing is autocracy. Security agencies are being used to intimidate critics and opposition figures.”
You can listen to a snapshot of the interview below via Facebook:
