Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has called on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to put competence above all else and produce a credible presidential candidate capable of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Tuesday at the ADC national convention in Abuja, Amaechi warned that internal divisions and identity politics would only weaken the opposition and hand the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) an easy victory.
“If you think President Tinubu will hand over power to you, you are wasting your time. ADC must come together and decide on a viable candidate,” Amaechi told delegates.
He argued that the opposition’s path to victory lies in electability, not ethnic or religious sentiment. According to him, those considerations have repeatedly fractured political coalitions and undermined past efforts to unseat incumbents.
“When we joined APC before 2015, we searched for a viable candidate, and we succeeded. Ethnicity and religion will only take us back to where we started,” he said.
Amaechi maintained that only a broadly acceptable candidate with a proven track record could unify the opposition, galvanise Nigerians, and mount a serious electoral challenge to Tinubu in 2027.
The former minister also accused the current administration of shrinking the democratic space and stifling opposition activities. He cited the ADC’s ordeal in securing a venue for its convention as evidence. The party had earlier alleged it was denied access to key facilities in Abuja, including Eagle Square and the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, forcing a last-minute relocation to the Rainbow Event Centre.
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi alleged that pressure was applied on the management of the venues to cancel the party’s booking.
Reacting, Amaechi condemned what he described as a deliberate attempt to obstruct lawful political assembly. “Why would a government official try to deny people their constitutional right to gather?” he asked.
He went further to question President Tinubu’s democratic credentials, recalling his role in the pro-democracy struggle of the 1990s. “How can someone who claims to be a democrat and once aligned with NADECO now act against democratic principles? If that is what they stood for, then it amounts to an attempt to punish Nigerians,” Amaechi said.
NADECO, the National Democratic Coalition, was formed in 1994 to resist military rule and demand the validation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Moshood Abiola.
Amaechi alleged that public institutions are increasingly being deployed against citizens and opposition groups. He warned that the country is battling worsening insecurity and economic hardship. “The situation is bad; it is terrible,” he said.
The ADC convention comes amid growing debate over the opposition’s strategy for 2027. Amaechi recently declared his own presidential ambition, stating he can defeat Tinubu on the ADC ticket. He has also cautioned that an ADC northern presidential candidate could face resistance in the South. Similarly, lawyer and Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has argued that only a northern candidate can disrupt Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Amaechi’s message to the ADC was clear: unity and competence, not zoning or sentiment, must guide the choice of flagbearer if the party hopes to be competitive in 2027.
