Amaechi Launches 2027 Presidential Bid, Vows to Rescue Nigeria

Former Minister of Transportation and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that he possesses the experience, competence and political capacity to rescue Nigeria from its current economic and governance challenges, promising to turn the country around within four years if elected president in the 2027 general elections.

Amaechi made the declaration on Thursday shortly after submitting his presidential nomination forms at the national headquarters of the African Democratic Congress in Abuja, where he formally signalled his intention to contest for the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 polls.

Speaking to journalists and party supporters after completing the process, the former minister launched a strong criticism of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, blaming the government for the worsening economic hardship currently facing Nigerians.

According to Amaechi, the country’s next election should not be determined by ethnicity, religion or regional sentiments, but by competence, proven performance and the ability to govern effectively.

He urged Nigerians to carefully assess the records of all aspirants seeking elective offices and support candidates with verifiable achievements in public service.

“What Nigerians should do is assess all of us who are running for office based on our records. Nearly everybody who is running for the office of the president has served Nigeria in one way or another. Let this election become a referendum on performance. Whoever has performed better should be voted for,” he said.

The former governor argued that his extensive experience in governance placed him ahead of many other aspirants seeking the presidency.

Amaechi pointed to his achievements during his tenure as governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015, as well as his years as Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2023.

He maintained that his record in office demonstrated his capacity to govern Nigeria effectively and reposition the economy.

“The next question Nigerians should ask is: who has the experience, who has the capacity to defeat the incumbent and who can truly govern this country effectively? I believe I am the most experienced among those contesting. I am still energetic, I have the experience and I have the capacity to lead Nigeria,” Amaechi declared.

He further stated that Nigerians should revisit his stewardship in Rivers State and at the Ministry of Transportation to evaluate his performance.

“Go back to Rivers State and see what I achieved there. Look at what we did in the Ministry of Transportation and assess whether I have the capacity to turn the country around. I believe that within four years, I can reposition Nigeria and restore hope to Nigerians,” he added.

Amaechi, who was one of the founding figures of the All Progressives Congress and also served as Director-General of Buhari’s 2015 presidential campaign, oversaw several major rail infrastructure projects during his time as transportation minister.

Some of the notable projects executed during his tenure include the Abuja-Kaduna railway and the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line, both of which were promoted as part of efforts to modernise Nigeria’s transportation system and improve connectivity across the country.

However, critics had repeatedly raised concerns over the heavy borrowing associated with some of the infrastructure projects, particularly loans obtained from China for railway development.

Despite the criticisms, Amaechi insisted that his administration delivered critical infrastructure capable of driving economic growth and national development.

The former minister also expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the economy, saying Nigerians were experiencing unprecedented hardship as a result of policies introduced by the Tinubu administration.

He specifically criticised what he described as the “Emilokan mentality,” arguing that the politics of entitlement had contributed to Nigeria’s current struggles.

“It is the ‘Emilokan’ mentality that brought us to where we are today. The idea of ‘it is my turn’ is what has put Nigerians in this difficult situation. Today, ordinary Nigerians are suffering,” he stated.

Amaechi said the economic hardship in the country transcended ethnic, regional and religious divisions, stressing that hunger and poverty affected all Nigerians equally.

“There is no separate market for Christians or Muslims. There is no market for northerners or southerners. Everybody goes to the same market and faces the same economic reality. The issue is about the value of the naira and the suffering Nigerians are currently experiencing,” he said.

He accused the current administration of worsening living conditions through policies that have increased inflation, weakened purchasing power and intensified hardship across the country.

“The current president has subjected Nigerians to hardship. I honestly do not understand why he wants to seek re-election again. Even