Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has strongly criticized the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing it of worsening the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Amaechi expressed his readiness to join a political coalition that would challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election. While reaffirming his membership in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Amaechi said loyalty to a political party must not supersede speaking truth to power.
“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 said.
Amaechi decried the worsening state of the economy, lamenting the daily suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
“People are dying. People are starving. I myself am feeling the effects of hunger,” he added.
His remarks come amid growing speculation that he is part of a coalition of top political figures working to unseat Tinubu in 2027. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi are reportedly involved in the emerging alliance.
Amaechi’s alignment with key opposition figures was further underscored during his 60th birthday celebration held in Abuja, where Atiku, El-Rufai, and other political heavyweights were present. At the event, the leaders collectively accused the Tinubu administration of “weaponizing poverty” against Nigerians.
Despite his criticisms, Amaechi maintained his position within the APC but warned that silence in the face of governance failure would amount to complicity.
His public disapproval marks one of the most direct rebukes from within the ruling party, signaling deepening fractures that may reshape the 2027 political landscape.
