ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after completing his registration at Ward 8 in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The registration exercise took place hours after unknown persons allegedly set ablaze the party’s office in the community in the early hours of the same day.
Residents of Ubima reportedly woke up to the fire outbreak which gutted part of the ADC office and triggered panic across the neighbourhood.
As of the time Amaechi carried out his registration, no arrests had been made in connection with the incident.
Speaking to supporters who gathered to receive him, Amaechi urged his followers to remain calm and avoid any form of violence despite the tension surrounding the attack on the party office.
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“Don’t be violent because violence may lead to the death of somebody, don’t be violent. At the same time, they can’t stop us from meeting in our community,” he said.
The former minister, however, commended security personnel deployed to the area for their conduct during the exercise.
Amaechi specifically praised the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the director of the Department of State Services (DSS), describing their actions as professional.
“We thank the commissioner of police and the director of DSS; they showed a lot of professionalism. In fact, I wasn’t expecting that from them; I thought they would be behind the criminals,” he said.
He subsequently called on security agencies to swiftly investigate the arson attack and bring those responsible to justice, warning that attempts to intimidate the party would not halt its activities in the community.
Amaechi’s defection to the ADC is widely seen as a significant boost for the opposition party as it intensifies efforts to expand its national presence ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.