Amaechi enthuses if the opposition “come together and win the election, the country will certainly witness change,” in new push highlighting Tinubu’s failings
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Rotimi Amaechi has counselled the opposition coalition to get their act together and stand firm to get rid of Bola Tinubu from the Villa in 2027 in order for Nigeria to escape from its social and economic quagmire fomented by bad leadership.
Amaechi, a founding member and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), explained in an interview with BBC that Nigeria’s deteriorating condition demands his willingness to help forge a new coalition to rescue the country.
“People are dying. People are starving. I myself am feeling the effects of hunger,” he said, painting a grim picture of life under the Tinubu administration.
Amaechi’s declaration comes in the wake of the endorsement of Tinubu by the APC as its sole presidential candidate in 2027, which he openly questioned.
He reiterated his loyalty to the party but warned that fidelity to a political platform should never come at the cost of national conscience.
“If the government is failing the country, you don’t just go along because you’re in the same party. You know that’s not right.”
He stopped short of confirming a 2027 presidential run with a caveat that the option is on the table.
“Certainly, I believe I can make a meaningful contribution,” he said, a sigh that his political journey may not yet be over.
He spoke of widespread poverty, spiralling food insecurity, and daily tragedies that now dot the national landscape.
Amaechi was Rivers Governor for eight years, part of which he served as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), and he lamented that the number of out-of-school children then pegged at 10 million, has since ballooned.
Economic hardship has also deepened insecurity, he stressed.
“The Boko Haram insurgency is not just a religious crisis. Many of those involved are driven by desperation and hunger,” he said, linking terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping to a broader socioeconomic collapse.
Amaechi’s declaration adds momentum to an emerging political realignment.
Talks are already underway among key opposition figures – including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) – as they explore the possibility of a unified front against Tinubu in 2027.
Even former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, once a key Tinubu ally, has signalled interest in backing an opposition alliance.
But as opposition forces stir, the APC, the ruling party, continues to absorb defectors from other parties, prompting fears of Nigeria drifting toward a one-party state, a scenario Amaechi warns could undermine democracy and silence dissent.
“We’re thinking that if we come together and win the election, the country will certainly witness change,” he said, suggesting an urgent need for a credible alternative.
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