The ADC vice-presidential candidate has issued a stark warning to voters, claiming that re-electing President Bola Tinubu in 2027 would lead to deepening poverty across the nation.
Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State Governor and now vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Tinubu's administration, warning Nigerians that voting for the incumbent in 2027 would be a fatal choice for their economic wellbeing .
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting in Obigwe, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Amaechi did not mince words about the state of the nation under the current leadership .
"Since He Removed Subsidy, Have We Rested?"
Amaechi pointed directly to the removal of fuel subsidy as the root cause of the economic hardship Nigerians are currently enduring. He questioned the rationale behind the policy, asking whether citizens have experienced any respite since the decision was implemented .
"He removed the fuel subsidy, and since he removed the subsidy, have we rested? Are you not suffering? Are they not killing people here?" Amaechi asked his audience .
The former governor drew a sharp contrast between his own governance record in Rivers State and what he described as the current administration's failure to prioritize citizens' welfare. He reminded his listeners that as governor, he invested in free education, built new schools, provided free healthcare, and ensured contractors were paid promptly—all measures he claimed helped curb insecurity .
The Atiku Alternative
Amaechi, who is running on a joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presented the ADC's presidential candidate as the solution to Nigeria's economic woes. He highlighted Atiku's promise to restore fuel and electricity subsidies if elected, arguing this would bring down the cost of living across the board .
"Atiku said if you vote for him and he wins, he would bring back subsidy. If he brings back subsidy, the price of fuel would come down. He would bring back electricity subsidy," Amaechi declared .
The former minister claimed that reversing these policies would reduce poverty, lower fuel prices, and even bring down the cost of essential goods like groundnut oil .
"A Coalition Should Be Based on Performance"
Beyond attacking the current administration, Amaechi has consistently argued that Nigerians must abandon ethnic and religious considerations when choosing their leaders. He has repeatedly warned that the "Emilokan" mentality—the belief that it is someone's turn to rule—has contributed to the nation's current predicament .
"I have said to Nigerians, leave ethnicity and religion alone, that is what got us here. Those who helped President Tinubu to become president were pursuing a religious agenda. Today, they have discovered that the market does not know Christians or Muslims; the market understands just one language, naira and kobo," Amaechi said during an earlier interview .
At the Nigerian Bar Association's 2026 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Amaechi challenged voters to judge candidates by their records rather than identity politics. "ADC provides a different kind of leadership completely. If we can't perform, don't vote for us," he said .
The Electricity Bill That Tells a Story
To illustrate the impact of the administration's policies, Amaechi shared his personal experience with rising electricity costs. He revealed that his monthly electricity bill had skyrocketed from N500,000 to a staggering N4 million following the removal of electricity subsidy .
"My house electricity bill was N500,000; now I pay N4 million. Atiku said if he comes, I will go back to N500,000. No more Band A and B because government will subsidise it," he explained during ward visits in Omuma Local Government Area .
The Challenge of Opposition Unity
Despite his confidence in the ADC's ability to unseat the incumbent, Amaechi has acknowledged the difficulties facing opposition parties in forming a united front. He identified personal ambitions as the major obstacle to coalition-building among opposition forces .
"Coalition as it is today is difficult to achieve. If it is possible, I am sure that Vice President Atiku Abubakar would be willing to participate. But the difficulty in it is that everybody has ambition; nobody wants to give up," Amaechi admitted at the NBA conference .
He argued that personal political interests had made it difficult for opposition leaders to agree on a common candidate, despite widespread dissatisfaction with the current administration .
Looking Ahead to 2027
As the 2027 election approaches, Amaechi's rhetoric signals an aggressive opposition campaign focused squarely on the economic hardship Nigerians are experiencing. His warning—"vote for Tinubu and die of poverty"—represents one of the strongest anti-incumbent statements yet in the early stages of the campaign season.
The ADC spokesperson has expressed confidence that the Atiku-Amaechi ticket will defeat the Tinubu-Shettima combination, arguing that Nigerians who have endured hardship under the current administration will vote for change .
"It is difficult to imagine Nigerians will vote for the same suffering that they have endured in the last three years and want it to continue for another four years. It is not possible," the ADC spokesman stated .
Whether Amaechi's warnings will resonate with voters and translate into electoral success remains to be seen, but his message is clear: the 2027 election will be a referendum on the Tinubu administration's handling of Nigeria's economy and the welfare of its citizens.
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