Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has announced his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing Nigeria’s deepening socio-economic crisis and a failure of leadership across board.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) interim executive, Amaechi accused both the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding to compromise upcoming elections.
“Nigeria is completely destroyed. People can’t eat, people can’t buy food. There’s no money to buy food. Everything is gone. Inflation is at its peak,” he declared.
Amaechi said he officially left the APC on Tuesday night and expressed surprise that he hadn’t already been expelled, noting that he had long distanced himself from party activities.
“You can’t be in a club where the majority of people are stealing and not say anything,” he said.
He emphasized that the change Nigeria needs goes beyond switching political parties.
“It’s not just about leaving APC or changing the ruling party. It’s about fixing Nigeria. What we need is not just a party, but a movement—one that empowers the people to take back their government,” Amaechi said.
Addressing the state of the nation under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, Amaechi stated bluntly: “I’ve never believed Tinubu is fit to govern this country. People are now wishing Buhari would return.”
He pointed to the economic decline, citing the naira’s drastic fall against the dollar.
“The dollar was around ₦460 when Buhari left. Today, it’s ₦1,580. That’s more than a 100% increase,” he noted.
When asked whether the worsening economic indicators were part of a deliberate policy, Amaechi responded:
“Whether intentional or not, any government that ignores the wellbeing of its citizens has no real policy. President Tinubu himself said he’s not here to make Nigerians happy.”
On whether he still harbours political ambitions, the former governor and presidential aspirant replied, “I have the right to be ambitious. I am not overambitious.”