Lamido And I Would Have Confronted Tinubu If We Were Still In Power – Amaechi
Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that Nigeria’s political situation would be different if he and ex-Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido were still in power, saying they would have openly challenged President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the launch of Lamido’s autobiography, “Being True to Myself,” Amaechi said his era was marked by bold and confrontational leadership.
He said, “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. We would confront the government, confront the president. That’s how radical we were, that’s how our governors forum operated, that’s how determined we were to change things.”
Amaechi, who was chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) during Lamido’s second term, described their time as one of courage and integrity, despite ideological differences.
He recalled that Lamido initially opposed his NGF leadership, but they remained allies on several radical decisions.
However, their political paths diverged when Amaechi and some governors broke away from then-President Goodluck Jonathan to support the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC), while Lamido aligned with the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Amaechi said he would make private contributions to Lamido’s memoir and praised their legacy of boldness and conviction.
His comments follow recent criticism of President Tinubu’s alleged interference in Rivers State politics, which Amaechi described as a “brazen attempt” to intimidate governors and secure political control ahead of re-election.lection.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
