Former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi has claimed that Nigeria’s political climate would be markedly different today if his generation of governors remained in power. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, May 13, at the launch of former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido’s autobiography Being True to Myself, Amaechi declared that both he and Lamido would have openly challenged President Bola Tinubu.
“I asked you [Lamido] this morning—what’s happening in the country now, in Nigerian politics—would it have happened when we were governors? You said no. And the answer is no,” Amaechi said. “We would have confronted the government, confronted the president. That’s how radical we were, how our governors’ forum operated, and how committed we were to pushing for change.”
Amaechi, who chaired the Nigerian Governors’ Forum during Lamido’s second term, reflected on an era defined by bold political engagement and ideological resolve. He acknowledged that while he and Lamido had a strong working relationship, it wasn’t without its conflicts.
“We were good friends in government, though we had our bad times and disagreements,” he noted. “I made the mistake of thinking he was as radical as I was. So I leaned on him during critical, bold decisions.”
Recalling a major turning point, Amaechi spoke about the split with then-President Goodluck Jonathan, which saw several governors—including himself—join the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC), while Lamido remained in the opposition and eventually aligned with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Amaechi characterized that period as one driven by principle, with little tolerance for executive overreach.
He also took a direct swipe at President Tinubu, criticizing his handling of the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. Amaechi accused Tinubu of using federal power to interfere in state affairs, describing it as a “brazen attempt” to consolidate political control ahead of the 2027 elections. According to him, Tinubu is exploiting state institutions to pressure governors into submission in a bid to secure loyalty for his re-election campaign.
