ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday joined protesters in Abuja against the Senate’s decision to reject mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, explaining that he brought along his son to ensure immediate medical help if the protest turned violent.
Amaechi, who addressed journalists at the protest ground, said his son a medical doctor was present to attend to injured protesters in the event of clashes with security agencies.
“I believe there should be more Nigerians out here now. I have always told people that when there’s a protest, all of us should come out,” Amaechi said.
“There are those who say politicians want protests while their children are overseas. Here is February 10, 2026 my first son; I brought him here to join. He’s a medical doctor. His job is that if there’s any injury, he should treat the injured ones.”
Amaechi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of opposing electronic transmission of results out of fear of losing elections, calling on opposition parties to mobilise against what he described as an attempt to undermine democracy.
“I believe opposition parties PDP, ADC, everybody should be out here to protest against the attempt of one party,” he said.
“If we come out and they say the opposition has hijacked the protest, what is APC doing? Are they not hijacking? What are they afraid of? I thought they said they have 31 governors. Tinubu is not Jonathan. The only way a good politician will know he has done well is by the people.”
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The former governor urged Nigerians to come out in large numbers, warning that security agencies would be deployed to suppress the protest.
“Whether we like it or not, they will bring policemen, so we must mobilise to match police for police,” he said.
“If they are 370,000 and they see people who have come out in large numbers, they will join us.”
Amaechi argued that electronic transmission of election results would reduce election-day violence and fatalities.
“What is the advantage of electronic transmission? Fewer Nigerians will die on election day,” he said.
“What we have now is that every election, people die in large numbers and nobody cares. On election day, Senator Akpabio will be in his mansion with police and soldiers protecting him, while people like us will be in the field and they are rigging the election. If you think they won’t rig, you’re wasting time.”
He also criticised the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity, alleging that President Bola Tinubu only responded decisively after threats from former US President Donald Trump.
“The problem is not Akpabio; even the president doesn’t think citizens matter,” Amaechi said.
“The only time the president reacted to insecurity was when Americans said Christians were being killed. That was when he felt his office was threatened. He doesn’t care about Nigerians.”
Amaechi was referring to comments made by Trump in November 2025, when the former US president threatened possible military action against Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians.