By Dennis Okechukwu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a scathing attack on former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as dependent on public office and questioning his suitability for elective office ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi, who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, had said in a television interview on Friday that his mother’s death was partly linked to inadequate healthcare and his inability to afford the medication she needed.
Reacting in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, expressed sympathy over the death of Amaechi’s mother, Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, but strongly criticised the former governor’s comments.
“The All Progressives Congress prays that the soul of Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi continues to rest in perfect peace,” Morka said.
He added that the party also prayed for “excellent health of mind and body” for Amaechi, while making reference to the former minister’s claim that he could not afford his mother’s medication.
Morka seized on the statement to question Amaechi’s ability to sustain himself outside government, citing his long career in public office.
“Rotimi Amaechi’s uncanny confessions must not be missed,” Morka said, referring to earlier comments attributed to the former governor about financial difficulties.
The APC spokesman argued that Amaechi’s situation, after several decades in political office, raised questions about his personal financial management and preparedness for executive leadership.
“For four decades, Rotimi Amaechi freeloaded at the highest levels of public office. He was never hungry and could afford medications for himself and his family,” Morka alleged.
He described Amaechi as a “loafer, aimless and irresponsible” over what he characterised as his inability to earn a living outside government patronage.
The ruling party further argued that the ADC ticket should not be supported by Nigerians if, according to the APC, its candidates were seeking public office primarily for personal sustenance.
“The same Rotimi Amaechi now asks Nigerians to make him vice president come 2027 so he can continue leeching on public treasury and keep the predatory lifestyle he has grown accustomed to,” Morka said.
He added: “The presidency is not a soup kitchen, and will not be a soup kitchen for Rotimi Amaechi.”
Morka said Amaechi’s own comments had, in the APC’s view, raised questions about his fitness for the office he is seeking.
He concluded by sarcastically suggesting that employers in Amaechi’s hometown of Ubima, Rivers State, could offer him employment that would enable him to earn an income after leaving public office.
The APC’s statement comes amid increasingly heated exchanges between the ruling party and opposition figures ahead of the 2027 elections, with Amaechi emerging as one of the prominent figures in the ADC coalition challenging the Tinubu administration.