Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has called on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to present a formidable presidential candidate capable of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi made the appeal on Tuesday while addressing party members at the ADC national convention in Abuja, urging stakeholders to set aside ethnic and religious sentiments in the interest of building a strong opposition coalition.
“If you think President Tinubu will hand over power to you, you are wasting your time. ADC must come together and decide on a viable candidate,” Amaechi said.
Drawing parallels with political alignments ahead of the 2015 elections, he recalled how opposition figures coalesced under the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unseat the then ruling party.
“When we joined APC [before 2015], we searched for a viable candidate, and we succeeded. Ethnicity and religion will only take us back to where we started,” he added.
Amaechi also accused the Tinubu administration of attempting to stifle opposition activities.
His comments followed claims by the ADC that it was denied access to major public venues in Abuja for its convention. On Monday, the party said it was refused permission to use the Eagle Square and the Moshood Abiola National Stadium for its gathering.
The party subsequently announced the Rainbow Event Centre in Abuja as an alternative venue. However, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, later alleged that the management of the facility faced pressure from government officials to cancel the booking.
Reacting to the development, Amaechi questioned what he described as an infringement on democratic rights.
READ ALSO: Over 3,000 delegates storm Abuja for ADC national convention amid venue controversy
“Why would a government official try to deny people their constitutional right to gather?” he asked.
He further criticised President Tinubu’s democratic credentials, referencing his past association with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
“How can someone who claims to be a democrat and once aligned with NADECO now act against democratic principles? If that is what they stood for, then it amounts to an attempt to punish Nigerians,” Amaechi said.
NADECO was formed in 1994 by pro-democracy activists who demanded that the military regime of Sani Abacha relinquish power and recognise the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The former Rivers State governor also expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, accusing the government of deploying public institutions against citizens and failing to tackle insecurity and economic hardship.
“The situation is bad; it is terrible,” Amaechi said, describing the country’s security and economic challenges as worsening under the current administration.
The 2027 general election, though still months away, is already shaping up to be a major battleground as opposition parties strategise to mount a credible challenge against the ruling APC.