Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi threw down the gauntlet at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national convention in Abuja on Tuesday, calling on the opposition party to unite and rally around a formidable candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking bluntly to party faithful, Amaechi made clear that the ruling administration has no intention of yielding ground voluntarily. “ADC must decide on a viable candidate. President Tinubu will not give us power,” he declared.
The outspoken politician also took aim at what he described as government efforts to suppress opposition gatherings, questioning the legitimacy of such moves. “Why would government officials deny you the right to gather when the constitution guarantees it?” he asked.
Amaechi went further, accusing the current administration of paying lip service to democratic values while undermining them in practice. “How can a man who claimed to be a democrat be stopping democracy? Tell me what to tell President Tinubu,” he charged.
On the security crisis gripping the nation, Amaechi painted a grim picture, lamenting the thousands of Nigerians killed, displaced, or abducted under the watch of the present government — and faulting its leadership priorities.
In perhaps his sharpest remarks of the evening, he turned his fire on public officials he accused of looting the system with zero remorse. “These guys do not care at all. What they care about is money. They don’t deny that they are thieves and land grabbers,” he said.
Amaechi closed by urging ADC stakeholders to close ranks, insisting that only a credible, united front stands any chance of ending the current administration’s grip on power in 2027.
