At his 60th birthday celebration, former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, made bold claims about Nigeria’s political future. He stated that opposition parties have the power to unite and remove President Bola Tinubu from office in the 2027 elections.
Amaechi revealed that he had informed Tinubu before the 2023 elections that he would neither support nor vote for him. According to Amaechi, his decision was based on what he described as a “capacity issue”. He explained that although many criticized his stance, he had already made his views known to Tinubu directly during a meeting in Yola.
He criticized voters who choose leaders based on ethnicity and religion, saying this practice continues to harm the nation. He called on political actors and citizens to prioritize the country’s welfare over personal or party interests if real change is to happen.
Amaechi didn’t hold back his criticism of the political class. Speaking on the theme Weaponisation of Poverty as a Means of Underdevelopment: A Case Study of Nigeria, he accused Nigerian leaders of intentionally keeping citizens poor. He said no leader genuinely cares for the masses because they know people are powerless once elections are over. He pointed out that even when Nigerians protest, their actions are ignored, and leaders proceed with policies that increase hardship.
He highlighted the issue of fuel subsidy removal, questioning what happened to the trillions of naira previously spent on subsidies. In his view, if those funds had been redirected into the economy, the current level of suffering would be far less.
Amaechi also linked rising insecurity to poverty. Reflecting on his time as governor, he said he noticed crime increased when there was less money in circulation. To counter this, he had ordered that workers’ salaries be paid promptly, which helped reduce insecurity. He said the current level of hunger across the country is a major cause of unrest.
He went further to challenge the narrative of religious politics, referencing the current Muslim-Muslim leadership. According to him, when it comes to hardship, religion offers no protection, as hunger affects everyone equally.
He also accused members of the current administration of building extravagant houses without fear or shame, insisting they show no concern for the suffering public.
Amaechi concluded by stressing that real solutions must begin with addressing poverty and demanding accountability from those in power.
