Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State and ex-minister of transportation, recently expressed his belief that the current state of Nigerian politics would have been markedly different had his cohort of governors remained in power. Speaking at the launch of Sule Lamido’s autobiography, Being True To Myself, in Abuja, Amaechi emphasized that their era was characterized by a fierce commitment to challenging the federal government.
Reflecting on their time in office, Amaechi recounted a conversation with Lamido, who served as the governor of Jigawa from 2007 to 2015, where they both agreed that today’s political climate would not have been tolerated during their governorship. “We confronted the government and the president with fearless resolve. That’s how our governors’ forum operated; we were determined to drive change,” he asserted.
Amaechi acknowledged the strength of their working relationship despite occasional disagreements, particularly during the opposition to then-President Goodluck Jonathan. He reminisced about their camaraderie but noted a pivotal disagreement that ultimately caused a rift: “We formed a committee of governors to oppose Jonathan, but when Lamido chose to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), we parted ways. I believed it would jeopardize our chances, while he had a different vision.”
In light of recent political developments, including President Bola Tinubu’s emergency rule declaration in Rivers State, Amaechi condemned what he described as a “brazen attempt” to consolidate power. He alleged that Tinubu’s actions aimed to intimidate governors into supporting his re-election bid, asserting that the message to them was clear: “if you are not careful, the president will remove you.”
Furthermore, Amaechi expressed disappointment in the general public’s cautious response to the escalating economic challenges facing Nigeria. “There should be protests—not against any individual, but against the politicians. We should stand up and say, ‘We won’t vote,’” he urged, calling for collective action against the political class.