Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has declared confidence in defeating former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the African Democratic Congress presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Amaechi argued that although Atiku had consistently won party primaries in the past, he had failed to convert those victories into electoral success at the presidential level.
“I listened when the former vice president said he never failed a primary before. I hope this will be the first time he will fail primary,” Amaechi said.
He added, “The issue is that at all times that you have passed primary, you have not won an election. So it’s about electability.”
Amaechi maintained that his candidacy would offer Nigerians a fresh alternative, stressing that he had never previously contested a presidential election.
“I’ve never run. If nothing else, I can argue that I’ve never run any presidential election,” he said.
Despite his criticism of Atiku’s electoral record, Amaechi surprisingly praised both the former vice president and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, insisting they would perform better than President Bola Tinubu if given the opportunity to govern Nigeria.
“If you give this country to Vice President Atiku to govern, I believe he would do well. Just as I think Governor Obi would do well. Honestly, both of them would do better than President Tinubu,” Amaechi said.
The former minister also accused President Tinubu of promoting ethnic considerations in governance, while describing former President Olusegun Obasanjo as “a huge nationalist.”
“He’s a Nigerian president. He’s not a Yoruba president,” Amaechi said of Obasanjo.
On the issue of zoning, Amaechi stated that he supports the principle because Nigeria is still battling with national unity and inclusiveness.
“The answer is yes and no. Yes in the sense that the country, for now, is yet to be found as a united entity,” he said.
The former Rivers governor also spoke on insecurity and agitation in the South-East, warning against the marginalisation of any region in the country.
“If they have to be in Nigeria, then they must be part of Nigeria. They must have a sense of belonging that they are Nigerians,” he said.
Amaechi further revealed that his vision for governance would prioritise national integration, education, and equal opportunities across all regions of the country.
His comments come ahead of the African Democratic Congress presidential primary scheduled for May 25, 2026, where Atiku and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen are also expected to contest for the party’s ticket.
