Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed readiness to form an opposition alliance to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, citing worsening economic hardship in the country.
Amaechi, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Rivers State, made the comments in an interview with the BBC, where he lamented the current state of the nation and said efforts were ongoing to form a political coalition that could bring about real change.
He said while he had not ruled out running for president again, only time would tell whether he would contest in 2027.
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His remarks come less than a month after APC leaders endorsed Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
However, Amaechi maintained his loyalty to the party but insisted that being a party member did not mean blind support for the 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 said.
Amaechi said the responsible thing was to tell the government the truth and express the expectations of Nigerians.
He decried rising hunger and poverty in the country, narrating how he recently came across a corpse by the roadside — a situation he attributed to worsening food insecurity.
“People are dying. People are starving. I myself am feeling the effects of hunger,” he said.
While some may assume he is insulated from the crisis, he insisted, “the truth is, I’m also feeling the hunger.”
Though he said he was not currently planning to run for president, Amaechi added that it remained a possibility because he believed he still had something to offer.
“Certainly, I believe I can make a meaningful contribution,” he said.
Amaechi revealed that he was in talks with other concerned Nigerians who believe the country is being mismanaged to form a united front.
His statement comes amid moves by major opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party to form a united coalition ahead of 2027.
Former Kaduna State governor and key Tinubu campaigner in 2023, Nasir El-Rufai, had also recently disclosed that efforts were underway to build an alliance that could challenge President Tinubu.
Still, several opposition politicians have decamped to the APC in recent months, sparking fears of a drift toward a one-party system under Tinubu’s leadership.
Amaechi said the country had become stagnant, and that ongoing consultations were focused on how to steer it back on track.
“We’re thinking that if we come together and win the election, the country will certainly witness change,” he added.
Reflecting on his tenure as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Amaechi recalled that at the time, there were about 10 million out-of-school children, but the number had since increased.
He also lamented the growing insecurity across the country.
“The farmer-herder crisis persists, and kidnapping for ransom is still rampant,” he said.
Amaechi linked the Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges to hunger and economic despair.
“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 said.
Nigeria has faced over 15 years of Boko Haram violence in the Northeast, with recent months seeing a resurgence in attacks despite government claims of victory.
Banditry also continues to ravage rural communities in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kaduna States, displacing thousands who depend heavily on agriculture for survival.
In a recent report, Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission said 570 people were killed in April 2025 alone.
Following his exit from the federal cabinet, some political observers have argued that Amaechi’s influence has waned, especially in Rivers State.
But the former governor dismissed such claims, daring doubters to visit his home state.
“Go to Port Harcourt and ask around—from the airport, you’ll see for yourself,” he said.
@dailytrust.