We Would Have Confronted Tinubu — Amaechi Reflects on Bold Governance Era with Lamido
Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has stated that he and former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, would have boldly confronted the current administration of President Bola Tinubu if they were still governors. Speaking at the launch of Lamido’s autobiography in Abuja, Amaechi recalled a time when governors took firm stances against the federal government, highlighting a sharp contrast with today's political climate.
Amaechi: We Would Have Confronted Tinubu if We Were Still Governors
Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed deep concerns over the current state of governance in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu. He asserted that during his time as governor, he and his counterpart, Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, would never have tolerated the current national situation without confronting the presidency.
Amaechi made these remarks in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of Lamido’s autobiography titled "Being True to Myself."
“I asked you (Lamido) this morning, what is going on currently in the country, in Nigerian politics — would it have happened when we were governors? You said no. And the answer is no,” Amaechi stated.
He emphasized the courage and resolve that characterized the Nigeria Governors Forum during his tenure as Chairman.
“We would have confronted the government, confronted the president. That’s how radical you were. That’s how our Governors Forum operated. That’s how determined we were to change things.”
Reflecting on their political history, Amaechi described Lamido as a key ally during turbulent political times, although their paths later diverged due to strategic differences.
“We were quite good friends in government. We had our bad times when we disagreed. I made the mistake of assuming he was as radical as I was.”
He recalled a pivotal moment during the opposition against former President Goodluck Jonathan, where Lamido decided to align with a different political ideology.
“The last one before we broke ranks was when we all agreed to go against President Jonathan. We formed a committee of governors and others. At the end of the day, he went to find a new party, the SDP. We said, ‘If we go to the SDP, we will lose the election. Let’s hang on to this one called the APC.’ He disagreed and left us.”
Amaechi's remarks underscore growing dissatisfaction within parts of the political elite, who reminisce on a time of more vocal and united governance among state leaders.
What's Your Reaction?
