The vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi has said only a mad person will vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The former Rivers State governor described Tinubu’s economic policies as reckless and urged Nigerians to reject him in the coming election.
Amaechi made the remarks on Thursday at an ADC town hall meeting in Edo State.
At the event, he criticised the Tinubu administration over the removal of the petrol subsidy, rising living costs and what he described as the failure to properly utilise Nigeria’s natural resources to improve the lives of citizens.
The former Minister of Transportation said Nigerians would have to decide whether to retain Tinubu based on the effect of his policies on their lives, arguing that the current economic situation had made it increasingly difficult for many families to afford basic necessities.
“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,” Amaechi said.
“If you are not mad, then Tinubu should not win here.”
Amaechi accused supporters of the President of backing his administration mainly because of personal interests, while ordinary Nigerians continue to face economic difficulties.
He particularly criticised the removal of the petrol subsidy, rejecting Tinubu’s description of the decision as an act of courage.
According to Amaechi, there was a distinction between taking a difficult decision and implementing what he described as a reckless policy without adequate consideration of its consequences on Nigerians.
“There is a difference between courage and recklessness. Tinubu wasn’t courageous; he was reckless,” he said.
Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy shortly after his inauguration in May 2023. The Federal Government has consistently defended the policy, arguing that the subsidy had placed a significant burden on government finances and that the resources could instead be used for infrastructure and other areas of development.
The policy, however, resulted in a sharp increase in petrol prices and transportation costs, with the impact extending to food and other essential commodities.
Amaechi said the consequences of the policy had become evident in the daily struggles faced by Nigerians, particularly households trying to provide food and other necessities.
“People are not able to feed. Things are difficult,” he said.
The ADC candidate also criticised the state of Nigeria’s energy sector, arguing that the country had failed to turn its abundant natural resources into sustainable economic prosperity.
He pointed to Nigeria’s large crude oil and natural gas reserves, particularly in the South-South region, and questioned why the country had continued to struggle economically despite its natural wealth.
Amaechi argued that Nigeria needed economic policies that would encourage domestic production, strengthen businesses and reduce the burden on consumers instead of policies that increase the cost of living.
He said the ADC presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, would introduce what he described as a “production subsidy” if elected in 2027.
According to him, the policy would be aimed at strengthening local production and easing the economic pressure on Nigerians.
Amaechi’s latest criticism comes days after he linked the death of his mother, Mary Amaechi, to the economic difficulties created by the Tinubu administration.
The former Rivers State governor had alleged during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today that the rising cost of medicines made it difficult for him to continue providing the medication his mother needed.
“The policies Tinubu introduced are killing people. I lost my mother because of the policies. We have lost people. President Tinubu’s policies killed my mother,” Amaechi said during the interview.
He said his mother had been in good health before Tinubu became President but that the rising cost of medicines subsequently made her treatment increasingly difficult.
“Before Tinubu became President, my mother was healthy. Suddenly, when Tinubu came, it became difficult to buy drugs for my mother. I did the best I could in taking care of my mother,” he added.
Amaechi’s mother, Mary Amaechi, died on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89. She was later buried in September in Ubima, Rivers State, with political figures, family members and associates attending the funeral.
President Tinubu was among those who had earlier expressed condolences following her death, describing the late Mary Amaechi as a woman whose life reflected faith, sacrifice and service.
