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Former Rivers State Governor and ADC vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has warned opposition leaders that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 could effectively end the political careers of the current crop of ADC leaders.
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Amaechi said the ADC must replicate the grassroots mobilisation that helped the opposition defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election.
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The former Transport Minister also attacked the Tinubu administration over the rising cost of living, poverty and the number of out-of-school children.
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He urged northern voters in particular to take the 2027 contest seriously, arguing that their votes would determine the outcome of the presidential election.
September 30, (THEWILL) – The Vice-Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has warned leaders of the opposition party that they risk being forced out of active politics if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins re-election in 2027.
Amaechi gave the warning on Wednesday while addressing the ADC National Women League Conference in Abuja, where he charged party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, the political survival of the current crop of ADC leaders depends on their ability to defeat the ruling APC at the presidential poll.
“If APC wins the 2027 elections, we are retired from politics. So if you don’t want us to retire from politics, we must go home”, Amaechi told the women.
He urged ADC members who were not from the Federal Capital Territory to return to their respective states and wards to begin mobilising voters, insisting that victory would not be secured from Abuja alone.
Amaechi said every member of the party must take responsibility for delivering votes from their respective wards, stressing that the presidential election would be determined by effective grassroots mobilisation.
“If you bring 2,000 votes per ward, don’t win your ward. Just bring 2,000 votes, we have won the election”, he said.
He also called on women to mobilise their husbands and families, urging them not to underestimate the importance of their participation in the election.
“Men are controlled by their wives. Don’t let your husbands sleep, because if we win, you have won”, he added.
Amaechi said he would personally participate in campaigns across several states, including Kebbi, Yola, Rivers and Delta, particularly in governorship contests.
He explained that the success of an ADC presidential administration would depend largely on its ability to work with governors elected on the party’s platform.
“We will not take any election lightly. You will see me in Kebbi, Yola, Rivers, Delta fighting for the governorship elections, because the Presidential candidate cannot govern without the governors”, he stated.
Amaechi Recalls 2015 APC Strategy
The former governor recalled how the APC mobilised women and other grassroots supporters in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election, when Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and the APC took power at the centre.
Amaechi said women played a significant role in the mobilisation that helped the opposition party defeat the PDP at the time.
“When we were in APC, and we wanted to remove your government, you saw what we did. We brought out the women; in every state we went to, women were in front”, he noted.
He said the APC campaign involved extensive engagement with women at the grassroots, including meetings in communities, with the party impressing upon them the importance of turning out to vote.
According to him, the ADC must adopt a similar grassroots approach if it hopes to challenge the APC in 2027.
Amaechi, however, argued that the economic circumstances facing Nigerians today were more difficult than they were in 2015.
“That time, Nigeria was not as hungry as it is now. Nigeria could afford some food, right? Now, how many of you can afford the food?” he asked.
He further cited the rising cost of education and other basic necessities, asking how many Nigerians could afford school fees without seeking financial assistance.
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Amaechi Attacks Tinubu Over Poverty
Amaechi used the occasion to criticise the Tinubu administration over the economic condition of Nigerians, particularly the rising cost of living and poverty.
He claimed that the number of out-of-school children had increased from between 10 million and 12 million when he left government to about 20 million presently.
He attributed the situation to the policies of the Tinubu administration, saying the impact of economic hardship was particularly severe in northern Nigeria.
“If you’re a northerner and you’re sitting here, you shouldn’t even be singing at all. Reason Tinubu is taking you more every day into poverty”, Amaechi said.
He called on northern voters to participate actively in the 2027 election, arguing that a strong turnout against the APC could alter the political equation.
“The thing you need to do is to take the battle in your hands. If all the women in the north come out to vote, Tinubu cannot announce any result”, he added.
Titi Atiku Urges Women To Resist Intimidation
Also speaking at the conference, Hajiya Titi Atiku Abubakar urged ADC women to remain committed to the opposition party and embark on grassroots mobilisation across the country.
She charged the women to convince their friends, neighbours and other voters to support the ADC, while warning them against intimidation.
According to her, the worsening cost of living should motivate Nigerians to demand political change through the ballot box.
She cited the rising price of medicines as an example of the economic pressure being faced by households.
“Medicine that we used to buy for 400, it is now a thousand. I couldn’t believe my eyes”, she recalled.
Titi Atiku also alleged that some contractors were being denied payments because of their perceived support for the ADC, while lamenting the financial difficulties confronting families and the impact on children’s education.
She urged ADC women to take the party’s campaign to villages and communities across Nigeria rather than limiting their activities to major cities.
“Most of our children are not in schools because the cost of living is so expensive. So, women, I implore you. Women, I beg you. Don’t let them come and buy you food”, she charged.
She called for sustained mobilisation across the country, particularly in rural communities, as the opposition party prepares for the 2027 elections.
The ADC is positioning itself as a major opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general election, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other prominent politicians joining efforts to build a coalition capable of challenging the APC-led federal government.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
