Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun, has apologised to Nigerians for supporting the party’s victory in the 2023 general election, saying the country is now bearing the consequences of that decision.
Oyegun, who is now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), urged Nigerians to use the 2027 general election to change the country’s political direction, arguing that the ADC could offer an alternative under former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi.
He made the remarks in Benin City, Edo State, during a town hall meeting organised to receive Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, into the ADC’s political fold.
Reflecting on the 2023 election, Oyegun said Nigerians had made a costly mistake by voting for President Bola Tinubu and the APC, adding that the forthcoming election presented an opportunity to correct it.
“Today, we are suffering from the terrible mistake of 2023 nationwide. Now is the time to rescue the nation by presenting former Vice President Atiku and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, to rescue the nation.
“The ADC mission now is to rescue the nation. Yes, we made such a mistake, but we are bringing Atiku, with his vast experience, and Amaechi, who is fearless. We were deceived once, and we won’t allow ourselves to be deceived again,” he said.
The former APC chairman also raised concerns about the political atmosphere in Edo State, alleging that political intimidation had become a source of worry, particularly threats involving AK-47 rifles.
He questioned whether such alleged threats reflected the kind of political environment Nigerians wanted, warning against the use of intimidation in the democratic process.
Amaechi, in his remarks, criticised the economic policies of the Tinubu administration, arguing that they were worsening the hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians.
The former Rivers State governor particularly faulted the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying the policy had contributed to rising inflation and placed additional financial pressure on citizens.
Oyegun’s apology and endorsement of the proposed Atiku-Amaechi ticket come as political parties and prominent figures begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.
