‘I won’t waste my time talking about Amaechi’ — Oshiomhole
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has characterized former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as unreliable, stating he would not engage in discussions about Amaechi’s recent comments. Oshiomhole made these remarks during an appearance on TVC, where he addressed Amaechi’s assertion that President Bola Tinubu faces significant challenges from Southern contenders in the upcoming 2027 presidential election, in contrast to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who he believes has fewer opponents from the North.
“If you know Amaechi, you won’t waste airtime talking about him,” Oshiomhole said.
The senator questioned Amaechi’s political consistency, referencing past conflicts between Amaechi and Atiku regarding the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Oshiomhole noted that Amaechi had previously alleged that Atiku’s candidacy emerged from a fraudulent process, even contesting the results in court.
Oshiomhole pointed out, “Here is Amaechi on record, who said that his own boss, Atiku Abubakar, came out of a fraudulent primary and that Atiku stole the mandate. He didn’t stop there; Amaechi went to court to challenge Atiku on these claims.”
He further claimed that Atiku later reached an agreement with Amaechi, suggesting that the former vice president invited him to share the mandate that Amaechi had previously described as obtained improperly. “This is not social media; there are court documents,” Oshiomhole said. “Atiku went back to him and said, ‘Okay, let’s share the stolen mandate together.’”
Oshiomhole also scrutinized Amaechi’s ascent in politics, arguing that his career advancements, including his tenure as governor and later as a minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, were not secured through direct electoral success. “Amaechi became governor following a Supreme Court decision and was appointed minister without a voter mandate in 2015,” he said.
Reflecting on his own political experience, Oshiomhole stated, “I was a national player and later national chairman, so I know what I’m talking about.”
The senator additionally criticized Amaechi for labeling other political figures as ethnic champions, contending that Amaechi portrayed himself as distinctive in this regard prior to the ADC primaries. He remarked, “He referred to Atiku as an ethnic champion and labeled every other person similarly, yet he presented himself as the only non-ethnic champion in the ADC before their primaries.”
Oshiomhole questioned the credibility of Amaechi’s evaluations of fellow political leaders, asserting that those who dismiss others as ethnic champions should not be taken seriously when discussing leadership in Nigeria’s diverse political landscape.
