APC, ADC in verbal war over Amaechi’s late mum
Political Tensions Escalate Over Rotimi Amaechi’s Remarks Following Mother’s Death
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA — A dispute between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensified on Thursday following comments made by ADC Vice Presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi regarding his mother’s death.
Amaechi publicly attributed the death of his mother, Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, to the adverse economic policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, specifically mentioning the rising cost of medications that made it difficult for him to afford necessary treatment. His mother passed away on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89.
In response, the APC issued a statement calling Amaechi’s remarks “irresponsible” and suggested that he was unfit for office due to an alleged inability to sustain himself outside of public service. Felix Morka, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, stated that Amaechi had held various high-level public offices for four decades but was now struggling financially just three years after leaving office.
“Just three years out of office, he has become destitute, unable to fend for himself and his loved ones,” the statement read. It highlighted his tenure as a two-term Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State, Minister of Transportation, and former presidential aspirant. The APC further characterized him as lacking productivity and accused him of attempting to return to public office to access government resources.
The statement began with condolences to Amaechi for the loss of his mother but ended with a call for local employers in his home region to provide him gainful employment.
The ADC responded to the APC’s comments through its Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, who condemned the party’s attack on Amaechi as “political cruelty.” Shaibu urged that a family’s grief should not be exploited for political gain, emphasizing the necessity for compassion rather than derision.
“Rotimi Amaechi’s struggles to afford his mother’s medication should elicit a humane response, not insults,” Shaibu stated. He further criticized the APC’s remarks as reflective of a broader disregard for the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians, who are grappling with high living costs.
Shaibu asserted that those struggling to afford basic necessities such as medical care and transportation are not “loafers,” but citizens enduring the consequences of a failing government. He urged the APC to redirect its focus toward addressing the pressing economic and social issues affecting the populace, rather than engaging in personal attacks.
“The reality is plain: the roads are bad, the economy is bad, electricity is bad, security is bad, and the welfare of the people is bad,” he added. The ADC concluded by stating that the effectiveness of a government should be evaluated based on the well-being of its citizens, not through disrespectful rhetoric.
