Former Minister of Transportation and presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has promised to transform Nigeria within four years if elected president in the 2027 general election.
Amaechi made the declaration on Thursday shortly after submitting his nomination and expression of interest forms at the national headquarters of the ADC in Abuja.
The former Rivers State governor used the occasion to criticise the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing the Federal Government of worsening the economic hardship faced by millions of Nigerians through policies that, according to him, have deepened poverty and suffering across the country.
Speaking to journalists after completing the submission process, Amaechi said the 2027 presidential election should not be driven by ethnic sentiments, regional calculations or political slogans, but by competence, track record and the ability to deliver good governance.
According to him, Nigerians must carefully evaluate the performance records of all presidential aspirants before making their choice at the polls.
“What Nigerians should do is assess all of us who are running for office based on our records,” he said.
“Nearly everybody who is running for the office of the president has served Nigeria in one way or another. Let this election become a referendum on performance and competence. Whoever has performed better and demonstrated capacity should be the person Nigerians vote for.”
Amaechi argued that his years of experience in public service had adequately prepared him for the task of leading the country at a difficult moment in its history.
He noted that his tenure as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor of Rivers State, and later Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari gave him the administrative and political experience required to govern Nigeria effectively.
“The next thing Nigerians should ask is: who has the capacity to deliver? Who can mobilise support across the country? Who has the experience and competence to defeat the incumbent and reposition the country?” he asked.
“I believe I am the most experienced among those aspiring for this office. I am still relatively young, energetic and fully prepared for the task ahead.”
Amaechi urged Nigerians to examine his record in Rivers State and at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, insisting that his achievements in office demonstrated his capacity to turn the country around.
“Go back to Rivers State and see what I achieved as governor. Look at the Ministry of Transportation and see the projects and reforms we carried out there. Assess the work and judge for yourselves whether I have the capacity to transform Nigeria. I am confident that within four years, I can turn this country around,” he declared.
Amaechi served as governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015 and later became one of the key figures in the coalition that formed the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2015 elections.
He also played a central role in Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign in 2015, serving as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.
As Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2023, Amaechi supervised several major railway projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna rail line and the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway. His tenure, however, was not without criticism, particularly over concerns about rising debt linked to infrastructure financing arrangements with foreign lenders.
Speaking further on the current state of the nation, Amaechi lamented the worsening economic conditions under the Tinubu administration, saying Nigerians across all regions and religious groups were struggling with inflation, rising food prices and declining purchasing power.
He maintained that the hardship being experienced by citizens should not be ignored by political leaders.
“Nigerians should vote for merit and competence, not because someone says it is his turn or because he comes from a particular region,” Amaechi stated.
“It is this ‘Emilokan’ mentality — this idea that power belongs to a particular individual or region — that has contributed to where we are today. Nigerians are suffering because of bad leadership and poor governance.”
According to him, economic hardship affects every Nigerian irrespective of tribe, religion or geographical location.
“There is no separate market for Christians or Muslims. There is no market for northerners or southerners. Everybody goes to the same market and faces the same high prices. The only thing that matters there is the value of the naira, and right now Nigerians are suffering badly,” he said.
Amaechi accused the current administration of implementing policies that have increased the burden on ordinary citizens without providing adequate relief measures.
“The present government has subjected Nigerians to avoidable hardship. People can hardly feed their families, businesses are struggling, and the cost of living continues to rise daily,” he added.
He questioned why President Tinubu would seek re-election in 2027 amid the country’s economic challenges.
“I honestly do not know why the current president wants to contest again after putting Nigerians through this level of suffering. Even the APC as a party should be ashamed of the current state of affairs and allow other competent Nigerians to come forward and rebuild the country,” Amaechi said.
On the issue of the ADC presidential primaries, the former minister said he preferred a transparent direct primary process where party members would freely choose their candidate.
However, he added that he would also support a consensus arrangement if party stakeholders agreed on his candidature.
“I believe in a primary election process because it gives party members the opportunity to decide. But if the party adopts consensus and the consensus favours me, that is acceptable too. If not, I am fully prepared to go through the primaries,” he said.
Amaechi’s formal declaration comes amid growing political activities and realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties intensifying efforts to strengthen their structures and challenge the ruling APC.
The ADC has in recent months attracted several notable political figures positioning themselves for the next electoral cycle, even though the party recently lost some prominent members to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Political observers believe the coming months will witness increased coalition talks, defections and strategic alliances as opposition parties seek to build a formidable platform capable of confronting the APC in 2027.
Amaechi’s entry into the presidential race is expected to further reshape the political landscape, especially within opposition circles, as aspirants continue consultations across the country ahead of the next general election.
