- Amaechi backs power shift to the south, insists presidency must rotate to ensure national fairness and peace.
- Ex-minister accuses Tinubu’s govt of failing across board, says Buhari outperformed him in security and governance.
Former governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, has declared his willingness to serve only one term as president if elected in 2027.
Amaechi, who also served as minister of transportation under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, said his ambition is subject to a coalition arrangement.
He spoke during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday.
The former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the rotation of power must be respected for Nigeria’s political stability.
“For now, the way Nigeria is, you must keep to that unwritten agreement that says south eight years, north eight years,” he said.
Amaechi recalled that he led a revolt against the PDP government in 2011 because it reneged on the zoning agreement.
“I said, ‘no, that will be unfair’. That will lead to instability at its peak, as the north will react.
“The best thing to do is to support a northern candidate to continue the balance of power.”
He insisted that the same principle should now apply to the south.
“Just like I will be telling the northerners that, no, the south should be allowed to complete their tenure — if the south isn’t allowed to complete their tenure.”
When asked if he would serve a single term if given the ticket of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, he replied, “Of course.”
He said his current posture was guided by the understanding within the emerging coalition.
“If not for the coalition agreement, the answer to whether I’ll run (as president) would have been an outright yes,” he said.
“But what did we agree? Everyone should keep aside their ambition. Let’s first get the platform. Let’s build it before talking about the presidency.”
Amaechi came second behind Bola Tinubu in the APC’s 2022 presidential primary.
He took a swipe at the Tinubu-led administration, saying it lags behind Buhari’s on virtually every front.
“Buhari will tell you he didn’t achieve everything, but his government was better than this one by all standards,” he said.
“Security under Buhari was a priority. Transportation saw progress. INEC had more independence.”
He alleged that government officials are now influencing INEC to frustrate opposition parties.
“Today, they can’t even register a party because government officials are telling INEC not to,” he said.
“So how is INEC an umpire when it takes instructions from government?”
He also recalled resisting an attempt by former president Goodluck Jonathan to impose a chairman on the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
“When I heard the president wanted to appoint a chairman for the Governors’ Forum, I almost collapsed,” he said.
“We demanded an election, and I won — 19 votes to Jang’s 16. Back then, governors had a voice. Now? They don’t.”
Amaechi praised Buhari’s conservative borrowing approach, noting he once blocked a loan request at the Federal Executive Council meeting.
“Buhari once rejected a minister’s loan proposal at FEC and insisted only key ministries like transport should access credit,” he said.