Amaechi throws his hat into the ring declaring that he will run for president come 2027

FORMER Rivers State governor and federal transport minister Rotimi Amaechi has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2027 presidential elections declaring that he will be seeking the ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to run for office.

With Nigeria due to go to the polls in two years time, the race for the 2027 presidential election is already heating up with the new alliance the ADC positioning itself to be a major player. Incumbent, President Bola Tinubu is expected to go for a second term as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, with the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expected to field a candidate too.

Mr Amaechi who served as governor between 2007 and 2015 and then as Nigeria's transport minister between 2015 and 2022, recently left the APC and declared for the ADC. Several other big hitters in the ADC are expected to seek the party's presidential ticket with former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and ex-vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar tipped to run.

Yesterday, however, Mr Amaechi declared that there will be no retreat, no surrender in his quest to contest the presidency in 2027 under the platform of the ADC. Speaking in Kano after a meeting with a coalition of traders in the state, Mr Amaechi insisted that the ADC primary election must be open, stressing that he would not step aside for any aspirant.

Mr Amaechi said: “I will contest the ADC presidential primary and by God’s grace, I hope to win so that I can face Tinubu in 2027. I am not stepping down for anyone. Let the people decide who they want to lead."

He maintained that every aspirant in the party had the right to seek the ticket, describing the contest as healthy for internal democracy. Weighing in on the state of the country under President Tinubu, Mr Amaechi criticised the administration, saying Nigerians were dissatisfied with its policies and governance style.

“Whether the government wants to conduct credible elections or not, one thing is certain—time is up. Nigerians are tired because no one is happy under Tinubu, not even in Rivers or across the south. He tries to frame it as a north-south contest but the truth is people are suffering everywhere,” Mr Amaechi said.