Amaechi Sparks Outrage Over 2027 Tinubu Vote Comments as Presidency Reacts
Sharp political disagreement has erupted following inflammatory remarks made by former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, prompting swift dismissals from both the Presidency and the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress. The backlash came after Amaechi asserted that only voters who are mentally unstable would support President Bola Tinubu during the upcoming 2027 presidential race.
In response to the controversial statements, presidential representatives characterized Amaechi as an unpragmatic political figure whose involvement would ultimately weaken any opposition platform. Simultaneously, officials from the Edo State APC emphasized that voters across the state possess the political maturity required to make independent decisions at the ballot box regardless of rhetoric from opposition leaders.
Amaechi Addresses ADC Gathering in Benin City
The former governor’s controversial remarks were delivered on Thursday in Benin City, Edo State, during a town hall session convened by the African Democratic Congress. The event gathered various political stakeholders, candidates, party leaders, and supporters to formulate strategy for Edo State and outline the party’s broader national ambitions ahead of the 2027 general election.
Amaechi, who previously held office as the Minister of Transportation under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, explicitly called on Edo residents to withhold their votes from President Tinubu in the upcoming election cycle. He questioned the integrity of individuals actively campaigning on behalf of the President and claimed that casting a ballot for Tinubu would be an irrational action on the part of the electorate.
“They are going about saying, vote Tinubu, vote Tinubu; only thieves will vote for Tinubu,” Amaechi declared during the event.
He continued by citing social media commentary to reinforce his stance against the administration.
“In fact, I read on social media that it is in 2027 that we will know how many mad men we have in Nigeria because it is only a mad man that can vote for Tinubu,” Amaechi said. “If Edo People vote for Tinubu, that means Edo people are mad. If you are not mad, Tinubu should not win here.”
Presidency Questions Amaechi’s Standing and Character
The presidential administration fired back on Thursday evening through Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, who denounced Amaechi’s public comments and raised serious questions regarding his political relevance and personal judgment.
Ajayi dismissed the former governor’s standing in national politics, characterizing him as “a known careless and irresponsible talker” and asserting that he remains “not a serious politician.”
The presidential spokesperson expanded his critique by referencing prior public statements made by Amaechi concerning his late mother, alleging that the former minister had improperly injected a personal family tragedy into political debate.
“Somebody who weaponised the death of his own mother, there is no extent such a person cannot go in uttering balderdash and gibberish,” Ajayi stated. “He’s not somebody that is known to be prudent in whatever he says or in his utterances.”
Ajayi argued that Amaechi’s public declarations must be evaluated alongside his previous actions and political choices. He contended that the former governor had used his mother’s passing to advance political narratives, while disputing the authenticity of Amaechi’s narrative regarding the financial hardship that allegedly blocked his ability to obtain her medical treatment.
Highlighting substantial family expenses incurred by Amaechi, including sending his daughter to study at a university in the United Kingdom and funding his mother’s burial rites, the presidential aide stated that these expenditures contradicted claims of extreme financial distress. This rebuttal highlighted a deepening personal rift between the administration and the former cabinet minister.
Moving past personal critiques, Ajayi directly attacked Amaechi’s historical electoral record, focusing on his tenure as the Director-General of Buhari’s presidential campaigns during the 2015 and 2019 elections. He asserted that despite occupying top campaign roles, Amaechi failed to secure significant electoral wins for the ruling party in his home state of Rivers or across the broader South-South geopolitical zone.
The presidential aide further questioned Amaechi’s capacity to deliver voter support for the ADC in 2027, dismissing his strategic value to opposition coalitions.
“So what is his electoral value?” Ajayi asked. “He’s actually a burden on Atiku’s ticket. We really don’t even know why Atiku or the ADC will make such a political lightweight a VP candidate, because he brings no value to Atiku’s ticket.”
Ajayi insisted that Amaechi lacks regional influence and cannot command strong turnout among his local voting constituency.
“He cannot deliver Rivers State; he won’t deliver Rivers State. He can’t deliver South-South, his region. Somebody who probably will not be able to deliver his own polling unit, not to talk of his own ward. So, of what value is he?” Ajayi stated, adding that historic presidential victories achieved by Buhari in 2015 and 2019 did not prove Amaechi’s ability to secure his home base.
Edo APC Rejects Amaechi’s Insults
Echoing the stance of the Presidency, the Edo State chapter of the APC pushed back strongly against Amaechi’s characterization of the local populace, expressing full confidence that citizens will make informed decisions at the polls regardless of opposition rhetoric.
Edo APC Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, indicated that while the controversy barely merited a formal response, it was crucial to clarify that the citizens of Edo State are politically astute and well-educated voters who understand their civic options.
“It’s not all statements that we must react to. If he likes, let him say that Edo people are mad. It’s Edo people that will know whether they are mad or not. It’s not all statements that we must react to, honestly,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie stated.
Defending the discernment of the local populace, Uwadiae-Igbinigie maintained that citizens have consistently demonstrated wisdom at the ballot box, citing the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo as evidence of their political maturity.
“As for me, Edo people are not mad. Edo people have learned, very seasoned people who know the choices they make during elections. They have never made any wrong choice. They voted for Governor Monday Okpebholo, and that is to tell you the level of sophistication in terms of knowledge. They have been able to separate the grain from the chaff,” he said.
Critiquing the opposition party, the APC spokesperson asserted that the ruling party represents substance while describing the opposition as lacking structure and political weight.
“ADC is a party that is made up of the chaff. We are a very seasoned set of people. Edo people have come to like the APC as a party and the people that make up the APC,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie added.
He pointed to economic measures implemented by the national government alongside ongoing infrastructure initiatives in the state as evidence of administrative leadership.
“The kind of reforms that the Federal Government has carried out, coupled with the level of infrastructural development in Edo today, are enough to show how sophisticated Tinubu is in terms of political sagacity,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie remarked.
Drawing a direct contrast between the competing political forces, he added: “So, the man himself is an Iroko. How can people leave an Iroko to vote for grass? ADC is made up of grass. We are a very seasoned set of people. Edo people have come to like the APC as a party and the people that make up the APC.”
Uwadiae-Igbinigie concluded his critique by turning Amaechi’s wording back onto the opposition leadership.
“So, Edo people are not mad. It’s the ADC people, selectively, who are mad. Check the people who are their leaders. They are spent forces within the political arena,” he stated.
Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, Uwadiae-Igbinigie voiced strong confidence that President Tinubu would secure overwhelming support throughout Edo State. He revealed that the party has established a target of securing 2.5 million votes for the President within the state, emphasizing that local infrastructure efforts funded by national revenues would encourage residents to support the incumbent administration.
“The people are happy that Okpebholo is developing Edo, and the only way they can say thank you is to vote for Tinubu, because they know that the resources we are using in Edo are coming from the Federal Government,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie said.
You May Also Like
Trending Now
