ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has described himself as the most qualified and electable presidential aspirant within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Minister of Transportation said his long years of leadership experience, combined with what he called relative youth, set him apart from other contenders.
Speaking on ARISE News on Friday, Amaechi positioned himself as a strong contender in the ADC, where he is expected to face other prominent aspirants, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Northern Nigeria Development Company boss, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Explaining why he believes he should be chosen over other aspirants, Amaechi highlighted his political and administrative background.
“I’m the most experienced of them all. I’m the youngest but most experienced.
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“I have been chairman of the Governors’ Forum. None of them, including President Tinubu, has been chairman of the Governors’ Forum because he was once a governor,” he said.
He added, “I’ve been chairman of the Speakers’ Forum. None of them has been… In fact, President Tinubu was partially in the parliament as a senator. But how long was he a senator? And what positions did he hold in the Senate? But I held not just the speaker.
“I ran the Speakers’ Conference. I established the Speakers’ Conference office in Abuja. And I ran this thing for two terms.
“I was, in the second term, asked to come and be chairman again. I became the first chairman to have a second tenure as chairman of the Governors’ Forum. And you saw how controversial it was.
“The president then didn’t want me to come back. I remember the president calling me one day. ‘You have turned the Governors’ Forum into a labour union.’
“And I said, no, sir, I’m just a public relations officer because your governor is a member. So it’s what the governors decided that I just announced.”
Amaechi also criticised the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing President Bola Tinubu of deliberately worsening economic hardship for political gain.
“The president is creating hunger as a way of manipulating voters. On that day, city boys will bring a bag of rice and some people will eat that rice and vote for them because a bag of rice does not solve hunger for the rest of the year,” he said.
He further alleged that the APC government is working to weaken the opposition by influencing political and state institutions against rival parties.
“If they say they are strong, why are they not allowing the opposition to have their political parties? Why are they influencing the political and government institutions against the opposition? Why won’t they leave the rule of law?” he questioned.
Amaechi said that if elected president, his first priority would be strengthening law and order in the country.
“The first thing I would do as president of Nigeria is the rule of law. It has to be law and order,” he stated.