Former Minister of Transportation and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rotimi Amaechi, has declared his willingness to join forces with Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi to challenge President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and food crisis as key reasons for his shift.
In an interview with the BBC, the former Rivers State governor did not mince words as he lamented the state of the nation and called for urgent political realignment to rescue the country from what he described as “dangerous stagnation.”
“People are dying. People are starving. I myself am feeling the effects of hunger,” Amaechi said. “While some may think I’m insulated, the truth is I’m also feeling the hunger.”
Despite being a founding member of the ruling APC and a former presidential aspirant under the party’s platform in 2022, Amaechi said loyalty to a political party should not mean blind allegiance to a failing government.
“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 asserted.
“The responsible thing to do is to tell the government the truth and to express the expectations of Nigerians.”
Amaechi stopped short of announcing a fresh bid for the presidency but left the door open for future consideration.
“I have not ruled out running for president again. Only time will tell,” he said. “Certainly, I believe I can make a meaningful contribution.”
His comments come barely a month after APC leaders endorsed President Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential elections — a move critics say stifles internal democracy.
Amaechi revealed that he has been in discussions with other prominent Nigerians who are concerned about the country’s direction under Tinubu’s leadership.
“We’re thinking that if we come together and win the election, the country will certainly witness change,” he said.
“There are ongoing consultations with people who feel the country is not being run properly.”
His remarks align with recent political movements, as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party have reportedly initiated talks to form a united opposition front.
Former Kaduna State Governor and ex-Tinubu ally, Nasir El-Rufai, has also hinted at plans to back an alternative political coalition in 2027, signaling growing discontent within the ruling party’s upper ranks.
Amaechi lamented, “The hunger is real. The suffering is real. The economy is not just biting the poor — it’s affecting everyone.”
He also blamed the persistent Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and farmer-herder violence on poverty and desperation.
“I’ve always said that Boko Haram is not a religious crisis. Many of those involved are doing it out of desperation and hunger,” he explained.
According to the National Human Rights Commission, at least 570 Nigerians were killed in April 2025 alone, due to violent conflicts and criminal activities — a statistic that underscores the security challenges Amaechi referenced.
Speaking on his alleged waning influence in Rivers politics, he challenged, “Go to Port Harcourt and ask around — from the airport, you’ll see for yourself.”
Amaechi warned that, “The country has become stagnant. We cannot continue like this.”
