Amaechi Blasts Atiku Over Northern Qualification Claim, Labels ADC Rivals Regional Candidates
Amaechi Blasts Atiku Over Northern Qualification Claim, Labels ADC Rivals Regional Candidates
Former Minister of Transportation and 2027 presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying that if Atiku’s only qualification for the presidency is his northern origin, then only voters from the North may support him.
Amaechi was reacting to comments by Atiku, who reportedly suggested that the North has not been adequately represented in the nation’s leadership.
Speaking on Friday, Amaechi warned against playing the regional and ethnic card in the race for the 2027 presidency.
“If Atiku Abubakar is saying that the only qualification he has is because he is from the North, then it means that on election day, the North will vote for him and the South will not vote for him. That is what it means,” Amaechi stated.
“For me, it does not matter whether you are from the North or South. There are other factors that play important roles.”
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, also described other presidential aspirants in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — including Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi — as “regional candidates.”
He claimed to be the only aspirant in the party not pursuing regional interests.
“It is within the right of the former vice president to say that he wants to run; nobody is stopping him. But he has to also understand that there are other factors beyond where he comes from,” Amaechi said.
“They are all regional candidates, but I am not a regional candidate. I’m not running because I’m Igbo, even though I’m partially one.
“I have said to Nigerians, leave region and ethnicity alone. That’s what put us here. Those who supported President Tinubu were pursuing religious agenda. They were so happy about the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“Today, they have discovered that the market does not know Muslims or Christians. The market only understands naira and kobo, no other language.”
“I don’t see the current administration protecting the interests of all religions in the country. You must allow all regions and tribes to know that they belong to this country,” he added.
Amaechi stressed that the ADC would conduct a proper primary election to choose its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
