Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed that during the early days of the All Progressives Congress (APC), party members paid women to protest against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria—organized by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development in Abuja—Amaechi also expressed concerns that President Bola Tinubu is not prepared to relinquish power in 2027.
Amaechi criticized Nigerian voters for being easily swayed by political rhetoric and financial inducements rather than holding leaders accountable for governance.
“We have sweet mouths; we repeat the same things every day. Tomorrow, they will call you in Lagos, give you transport money, and you will go. If tomorrow Tinubu does the same, you will also come.”
He recalled an instance when the APC organized a demonstration at Eagle Square during its early days but discovered that some of the women who had been mobilized for the protest were wearing pro-Jonathan campaign shirts.
“When APC was registered, I feared they might rig us out. So, we agreed to organize a demonstration. We paid people to bring women and others. But when I arrived early to assess the situation, I was shocked to see that the women we brought were wearing ‘Jonathan for President’ shirts.”
Amaechi lamented that Nigerians have a short memory when it comes to holding politicians accountable, allowing them to “get away with anything, even murder.”
The former Rivers State governor also warned that those expecting President Tinubu to step down voluntarily after his tenure are being naive.
“Nobody in power will willingly hand it over to you, not even me.”
He alleged that Nigerian politicians—including Tinubu—are more focused on holding onto power through manipulation and violence than on delivering good governance.
“None of you here can defend the votes. You have complained and complained, and Nigerians have clapped for you. If you think Tinubu will just give you power, you are wasting your time.”
Amaechi’s remarks have sparked discussions about political accountability, election integrity, and the role of voter manipulation in Nigeria’s democracy.
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