A fresh turn of dispute may be brewing in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the Southern Political Progressives Amalgamation Forum has rejected former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as Atiku’s running mate for the 2027 general elections.
According to the forum’s convener Anga Fidelis, Amaechi will not win even in his hometown in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Anga and two others made this claim in a statement on Saturday.
Additionally, Fidelis questioned how likely it was that Amaechi would assist Abubakar in winning votes in the 17 southern states—the South-South (six states), South-West (six states), and South-East (five states)—if he had failed to win his local government area in the previous eight years.
He said: “With all due respect, maybe Atiku, even though he is a pan-Nigerian who has businesses, friends, associates and ties across the South-West, South-East and South-South parts of the country, may not be fully abreast with the political reality in the Niger Delta region where Amaechi is from.
“As at today, Amaechi is a political liability and it is a statement of fact that he can not win his Ward in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. When you can’t deliver your Ward, how do you deliver your LGA and ultimately the State?”
Speaking further, Fidelis claims that Rotimi Amaechi was instrumental in the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan, a role he said the people of the Niger Delta had not forgotten.
Additionally, he maintained that despite a rich political track record on paper, a running mate should be someone who would complement the efforts of the candidate and not a liability who would be solely banking on the efforts of the candidate in his stronghold.
Rotimi Amaechi Political Career
Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has remained a prominent figure in Nigeria’s opposition politics since leaving office as Minister of Transportation in 2023.
He served as a two-term Governor, two-time Minister, two-term Speaker of the State House of Assembly and Speaker of all Speakers.
After contesting and losing the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary to President Bola Tinubu in 2022, Amaechi gradually distanced himself from the ruling party and later aligned with the emerging opposition coalition seeking to unseat the APC in the 2027 elections.
The former governor also ran the 2026 ADC primaries as a presidential candidate alongside Hayatu-Deen and former vice president Atiku Abubakar but lost to Atiku- a loss he hinged on claims of rigged election.
Read Also: Amaechi accepts Atiku’s offer to serve as running mate
Backstory…
Despite previous statements that he will not run as a vice presidential candidate, in June, following the ADC primaries, Amaechi accepted to be Atiku’s running mate.
The immediate past chairman of the ADC in Rivers State, Leader Sampson verified the information. His acceptance however came following visits and close door meetings between him and Atiku Abubakar.
Read Also: ADC: Amaechi pays visit to Atiku in Abuja
