Amaechi Blames APC for Hardship, Citing “Emilokan Brought Us Here”

By Luminous Jannamike, ABUJA

On Thursday, former Rivers State governor and ex‑Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi claimed that the “Emilokan” philosophy that guided the last presidential election has driven Nigerians into hardship.

Read Also:2027: Makinde declares presidential bid, forms alliance with APM

He argued that Nigeria can no longer select leaders on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or a perceived “turn” to govern.

These comments represent one of Amaechi’s most forceful criticisms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the current administration as the 2027 presidential election approaches.

Speaking in Abuja shortly after submitting his presidential nomination, Amaechi portrayed himself as the most experienced candidate, challenged the APC’s pursuit of a second term, and urged voters to base their choices on competence and past performance.

“It is what do you call it, Emilokan, that brought us here. It is our turn that brought us here. It is the turn of Nigerians, because you see there is no market for Christians, neither is there a market for Muslims, or a market for northerners or southerners. The market has only just one purpose, the forex. And what is forex? Naira. Nigerians are suffering. They are suffering.”

Amaechi blamed the current administration for the country’s economic difficulties and questioned why the APC was seeking another term.

“The current president has put us in this suffering. I don’t know why he wants to run. I don’t even know why APC wants to participate. They should be in shame and allow other Nigerians to participate and change the country.”

The former minister also called on Nigerians to reject identity politics.

“Nigerians should vote for merit but not vote for those who say ‘I’m from this place’, ‘I’m from that place’, ‘vote for me because my people have not been voted for before’, or ‘it’s our turn’,” he said.

Amaechi said the 2027 election should be a referendum on the records of those seeking office.

“I would say that what you are seeing currently is that nearly everybody who is running for the office of the president has served Nigeria in one way or another. Let this be a referendum. If you have performed, whoever has outperformed the other, vote for the person. The next thing is who is capable of delivering the votes? Who is capable of beating the incumbent? Who has the experience?”

He cited his tenure as governor of Rivers State and as Minister of Transportation as evidence of his experience and capacity to lead the country.

“I believe I am the most experienced. I am young, I am the most experienced, and I believe I have the capacity. Go back to Rivers State and see what I have done. Go back to Ministry of Transportation and see what I have done, and assess it and see whether I can turn the country around. And I will, in four years, turn the country around.”

On the method of selecting the party’s presidential candidate, Amaechi said he preferred a direct primary.

“I’m going for primary. If the consensus is me, fine. But if it’s not me, I’m going for primary,” he said.

The post ‘Emilokan brought us here’ — Amaechi blasts APC over hardship appeared first on Vanguard News.