Amaechi Claims Buhari Promised Him APC Presidential Ticket in 2022

Rotimi Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, recently discussed his loss in the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary. He believes his defeat was due to following the advice of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who told him not to campaign.

Amaechi said that Buhari had assured him in writing that he would announce him as his preferred candidate. This led him to avoid lobbying delegates and forming political alliances before the primary. He shared these thoughts during an interview on Mainland 98.3FM’s The Situation Room in Lagos.

According to Amaechi, he trusted Buhari’s endorsement would give him an edge over other candidates. He admitted that listening to Buhari was his first mistake. He explained, “He told me that. He put it in writing. When I write my book, I’ll put it out.”

He also noted that his lack of negotiations with governors and other influential party members hurt his chances. While he could have secured support by promising political positions, he chose not to make deals, which allowed Bola Tinubu to gain an advantage.

Amaechi accused Tinubu of using religious sentiments to gain support, particularly in northern Nigeria. He stated that he would not use religion as a political tool, emphasizing his belief in nationalism. He mentioned that some Southern Yoruba Muslims had approached northern governors for support based on religion.

He raised questions about Tinubu’s political strategy, suggesting that if Tinubu was as skilled as perceived, he would have become president sooner. Tinubu won the APC primary in June 2022 with 1,271 votes, while Amaechi received 316 votes. This victory led to Tinubu becoming the APC candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Amaechi, who was previously a close ally of Buhari and served as Minister of Transportation, is now the running mate to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the upcoming 2027 presidential election.