Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed suggestions that he joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential race to end up as a vice presidential candidate, insisting that his ambition is solely to contest for the presidency.
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, made the clarification during an interview on Trust TV, amid growing speculation over possible consensus arrangements within the ADC ahead of its presidential primary scheduled for May 25, 2026.
Reacting to insinuations that he could eventually pair with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on a joint ticket, Amaechi was emphatic in his response.
“Please stop that. I didn’t buy the ADC presidential ticket to become Vice President,” he said.
The former minister stressed that his intention remains to secure the party’s presidential ticket and lead the ADC into the 2027 general elections, adding that any talk of consensus must be based on voluntary agreement among all aspirants.
“If you don’t agree, then primary. I don’t have any other answer to give you,” he said, insisting that a transparent primary remains the most democratic path if consultations fail.
Amaechi expressed confidence in his chances against Atiku in the party’s contest, noting that while the former vice president has a history of winning primaries, he has not succeeded at the presidential election 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 in primary.
“The issue is that at all times that you have passed the primary, you have not won an election. So it’s about electability,” he said.
He further argued that his own candidacy offers a fresh alternative, noting that he has 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, Amaechi acknowledged both Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, saying either of them would perform better than President Bola Tinubu if elected.
“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,” he said.
He also accused President Bola Tinubu of promoting ethnic considerations in governance, contrasting his style with that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he described as “a huge nationalist.”
“He’s a Nigerian president. He’s not a Yoruba president,” Amaechi said.
On zoning and power rotation, Amaechi said he supports the principle, arguing that Nigeria is still struggling with national unity and inclusion.
“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 explained.
He also raised concerns about insecurity and marginalisation, particularly in the South-East, urging stronger national inclusion.
“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 stated.
Amaechi promised that if elected president, he would prioritise national integration, education, equal opportunity, and security reforms.
Meanwhile, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Umar Sani, has claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan has already obtained the party’s presidential nomination form ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Trust TV, Sani said political signals suggest Jonathan is actively preparing for a return, even if he has not formally declared his ambition.
“The issue is not about whether we will extract commitment from him. What is most important in politics is action.
‘:If your action suggests you are interested, there are certain actions to follow, one of which is the procurement of the nomination form.
“He has procured the nomination form. In fact, he is about to come and submit the forms publicly,” Sani said.
He added that many Nigerians remain nostalgic about Jonathan’s administration, arguing that public perception of his tenure has improved over time.
“Most Nigerians know him and are nostalgic about Jonathan. At the time he left office, many people felt the PDP was not performing, but now Nigerians have seen the difference clearly,” he said.
Sani also expressed confidence that any legal challenge to Jonathan’s eligibility would fail, insisting the matter had already been settled.
“We are very confident that the matter will be thrown out because you cannot relitigate something that has already been decided upon.”
