Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has cautioned that it may be difficult for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to persuade voters in southern Nigeria to support a presidential candidate from the North.
Amaechi advised the party to carefully consider regional dynamics and their potential impact ahead of the next general election.
Speaking in Kano, the former Rivers State governor was asked whether he would support any candidate produced by the ADC in 2025. He responded that he would back whoever emerges as the party’s candidate but emphasized the need for strategic decisions to strengthen the party’s image and improve its electoral chances.
“I will support whoever emerges,” he said. He also urged the ADC to identify the best candidate who can convince Nigerians that the country’s situation will improve.
Amaechi noted that the party should consider three key factors when selecting its presidential candidate: capacity, age, and the current balance of power in the country.
“First is capacity. Second is age. Third, and that’s the final point, is to respect the unspoken rule about power that exists in the South,” he said.
According to him, acknowledging the prevailing power arrangement would make it easier for politicians and voters in the South to support the party.
“They should complete the process in the South and then allow power to return to the North. That way, it becomes easier for people in the South to accept the transition because the North would have allowed the South to finish its turn,” he explained.
Amaechi warned that presenting a northern candidate at a time when many in the South believe power should remain there could weaken the ADC’s support base in the region.
“If you choose someone from the North, I’m not saying we won’t campaign, but it will be difficult to convince the South to relinquish power. They will ask, ‘Why is it that whenever power shifts to the South, it suddenly becomes an issue?’” he said.
Despite his concerns, Amaechi reiterated his commitment to party unity, stating that he would support whoever wins the ADC presidential primary, regardless of their region.
“Whether the person is from the South or the North doesn’t matter to me; I will support whoever emerges as the party’s candidate,” he said.
Amaechi, who has declared his intention to seek the party’s presidential nomination, also pledged to serve only one four-year term if elected, after which power would return to the North.
