Chibuike Amaechi, vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has urged Nigerians to reject President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, describing the administration’s economic policies as “reckless.”
Amaechi spoke on Thursday at an ADC town hall meeting in Edo State, where he criticised the removal of the petrol subsidy and blamed the policy for worsening economic hardship.
“I read on social media that it is in 2027 that we will know how many madmen we have in Nigeria. It is only a madman that can vote for Tinubu,” he said.
“If you are not mad, then Tinubu should not win here.”
The former minister of transportation argued that Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy was not an act of courage, as the President has described it, but an act of recklessness.
“There is a difference between courage and recklessness. Tinubu wasn’t courageous; he was reckless,” Amaechi said.
He lamented the rising cost of living, saying many Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities.
“People are not able to feed. Things are difficult,” he said.
Amaechi also criticised the state of Nigeria’s energy sector, arguing that the country had failed to properly harness its abundant oil and gas resources to drive industrialisation and economic growth.
He said Nigeria’s economic recovery should be anchored on policies that encourage domestic production rather than measures that increase pressure on consumers and businesses.
Amaechi said Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, would introduce a “production subsidy” if elected to boost local production and reduce economic pressure on Nigerians.