Former Nigerian Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that President Bola Tinubu is “not invincible” and can be defeated in the 2027 general elections if Nigerians turn out massively to vote.
Speaking on Monday at the Fifth Anniversary Lecture of the First Daily Newspaper held in Abuja, Amaechi argued that the president’s loss in Lagos State during the 2023 presidential election was proof that Tinubu’s political dominance could be challenged through civic participation and voter mobilization.
Addressing the theme, “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?”, Amaechi criticized the widespread voter apathy that, he said, allows electoral malpractice to thrive in Nigeria. According to him, citizens’ disillusionment and reluctance to vote have been the biggest enablers of political continuity and manipulation.
“The first solution to electoral reform is not the government. The people are the problem,” Amaechi said. “The more you say they have written the results, the more you have voter apathy. Voter apathy will make President Bola Tinubu return to Villa.”
Okay News reports that Amaechi, who ran for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022 but lost to Tinubu, has recently become one of the most outspoken figures within Nigeria’s political establishment calling for deeper electoral reforms and public accountability.
During his remarks, he emphasized that the path to democratic change lies not in despair but in collective action and belief in the power of the ballot.
“Tell the people the power is in your hands. Come out. If Tinubu is that invincible, how was he defeated in Lagos?” he asked. “It can be repeated, but first and foremost, you must agree that the man there is not invincible. The problem is the opposition.”
Amaechi’s comments come as Nigeria’s political class begins early positioning ahead of the 2027 elections.
