Former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he would leave his wife if she became Nigeria’s president and governed in the same manner as President Bola Tinubu.
Amaechi made the remarks during an interview with Rapid TV, where he criticised the Tinubu administration and urged Nigerians to assess political leaders based on their performance rather than personal relationships, religion or ethnicity.
The former Minister of Transportation argued that even his emotional attachment to his wife would not prevent him from opposing her if he believed she was governing poorly.
Amaechi explains why he would leave his wife
Speaking during the interview, Amaechi described his wife as the person closest to him but maintained that personal loyalty should not take precedence over accountability.
“Today, the closest person in my life is my wife, not my children,” he said.
He explained that if his wife became president and adopted what he considered the same governing approach as Tinubu, he would not support her merely because of their relationship.
According to him, she would either have to change her approach to governance or risk losing his support.
“It’s either she changes, or I leave her,” Amaechi declared.
Amaechi criticises Tinubu’s administration
The former Rivers governor also criticised the performance of the current administration, arguing that Nigerians had sufficient experience of Tinubu’s leadership to evaluate his record.
He urged citizens to look beyond political affiliations, religion and ethnicity when making electoral decisions.
Amaechi maintained that the opposition should be assessed on its proposals and ability to address the country’s challenges.
He also argued that returning the same administration to power would likely produce similar outcomes, using the computer expression “garbage in, garbage out” to explain his position.
Former governor defends political record
Responding to questions about his own experience in government, Amaechi acknowledged that he had previously served as a governor and federal minister.
He maintained that Nigerians were free to examine his performance during his tenure in public office.
The former governor encouraged citizens to assess projects executed during his administration in Rivers State.
Amaechi served as governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015 before becoming Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In June 2026, the ADC announced him as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi urges Nigerians to participate in 2027 elections
The former minister also called for greater voter participation ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
He expressed concern about alleged electoral manipulation and urged citizens to remain vigilant throughout the electoral process.
Amaechi maintained that Nigerians should participate actively in determining the country’s political future.
His latest remarks come as political activities intensify ahead of the elections, with opposition candidates continuing to criticise the Tinubu administration’s policies and performance.
