"If We Were Still Governors, We Would Have Challenged Tinubu" — Amaechi Says Nigerian Politics Has Lost Its Fire

 

Former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has stirred conversations once again with his bold remarks about the current state of Nigerian politics. Speaking at the launch of Sule Lamido's autobiography titled "Being True to Myself" on Tuesday, May 13, in Abuja, Amaechi didn’t hold back in sharing his frustrations and nostalgia for the era when he and Lamido were active governors.

According to Amaechi, if the same generation of governors he belonged to were still in charge of Nigeria’s states today, the political landscape would be nothing like what it is under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He strongly implied that Nigeria's political class has lost the courage to challenge power, and that the current political climate is one of submission, not resistance.

In his words:

“I asked you (Lamido) this morning, what is going on currently in the country, in Nigerian politics — would it have happened when we were governors? You said no. And the answer is no,” Amaechi said firmly.

“We would confront the government, confront the president. That’s how radical we were, that’s how our governors forum operated, that’s how determined we were to change things.”

This statement paints a vivid picture of how differently Amaechi believes his generation approached governance and political power. For him, there was an unshakable spirit of boldness — a readiness to speak truth to power, even if it meant challenging the presidency.

As a former chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) during the second term of Governor Lamido, Amaechi remembered an era of high-stakes political maneuvering, firm ideologies, and the willingness to take radical decisions — even when those decisions were unpopular or risky. Reflecting on his relationship with Lamido, he said their political friendship was one that thrived on shared passion, but was not without its differences.

“We were quite good friends in government. We had our bad times when we disagreed,” he admitted.

“I made the mistake of assuming he was as radical as I was. So, he was one of the governors I clung to when it came to radical decisions.”

Amaechi’s comments also took a historical turn as he revisited a critical period in Nigerian politics: the split among governors during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. That split led to the creation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party that Amaechi and other like-minded governors joined to oppose Jonathan’s leadership. Meanwhile, Lamido stayed behind and later aligned himself with the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

For Amaechi, that moment defined what real political conviction looked like — governors who didn’t hesitate to challenge the presidency, who stood their ground even if it meant leaving the ruling party. He emphasized that back then, many governors made choices based on principle, not pressure.

But perhaps the most explosive part of Amaechi’s speech was his direct criticism of President Tinubu, especially regarding the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. Without mincing words, Amaechi accused the president of using his power at the federal level to interfere in the state's internal politics.

According to him, Tinubu’s approach to the Rivers crisis is not just about settling disputes or strengthening governance — it’s about preparing for 2027, and using state machinery to secure loyalty and suppress opposition.

He described it as a “brazen attempt” to consolidate political power and ensure support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Amaechi further alleged that the president is now using the might of federal institutions to corner governors into submission — forcing them to choose between total obedience or political isolation. It’s a tactic, he suggested, that his generation of governors would never have tolerated.

Amaechi’s remarks are not just a reflection of nostalgia; they are also a warning. A warning that Nigeria’s democracy may be drifting away from bold leadership and accountability, and into an era where silence and loyalty are more valued than truth and principle.

What do you think, NaijaRush fam? Do you agree with Amaechi? Has Nigeria lost its political backbone? Let us know in the comments!