Former Rivers State Governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has called on Nigerians to actively participate in the 2027 general election to prevent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from securing a second term in office.
Amaechi made the call while speaking at the fifth anniversary lecture of First Daily newspaper held in Abuja on Monday. He said the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in Lagos State, where Tinubu lost, proved that the president is “not invincible.”
“If Tinubu is that invincible, how was he defeated in Lagos? It can be repeated,” Amaechi told the audience, urging Nigerians to come out en masse during the next polls.
Voter Apathy Aiding Electoral Fraud — Amaechi
The former Minister of Transportation warned that voter apathy and complacency remain the biggest enablers of electoral malpractice in Nigeria.
“The first solution to electoral reform is not the government. The people are the problem. The more you say they have written the results, the more you have voter apathy. Voter apathy will make President Bola Tinubu return to the Villa,” he said.
Amaechi stressed that citizens must take ownership of the electoral process rather than waiting for the government to initiate reform.
He maintained that real change would come only when Nigerians refuse to be discouraged by allegations of rigging and intimidation.
‘No Incumbent Will Reform Elections’
According to Amaechi, it is unrealistic to expect any sitting government to initiate genuine electoral reform, noting that every administration tends to act in its own political interest.
“The problem with elections in Nigeria is that there is no incumbent government that can achieve electoral reform — none. We already tried it and failed,” he declared.
He also accused members of the political class of sabotaging reform efforts to protect their influence and maintain control over the electoral system.
Opposition Parties Also to Blame
Amaechi didn’t spare the opposition either. He criticized opposition parties for what he described as weak organization, internal divisions, and lack of strategic focus, which he said have made them incapable of offering Nigerians a credible alternative.
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“I tell the opposition parties that you’re the problem. The opposition party is not discussing how to save Nigeria. Nobody is saying, ‘Oh, things are bad — how do we change the candidate?’” he lamented.
Amaechi’s remarks have since reignited conversations about Nigeria’s electoral integrity and the preparedness of opposition groups ahead of the 2027 elections.
