Amaechi: Lamido and I Would Have Challenged Tinubu If We Were Still Governors

By Charles Maduka

Former Minister of Transportation and ex-governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has said that if he and Sule Lamido were still state governors, they would have confronted President Bola Tinubu over the current challenges in the country.

Amaechi made this remark on Tuesday in Abuja during the public launch of Lamido’s autobiography titled Being True to Myself. He praised the courage and activism of their time in office, saying their era was known for strong opposition and a desire to hold the federal government accountable.

Speaking to the audience, Amaechi said, “I asked Lamido this morning if the current political happenings in Nigeria would have taken place when we were governors. He said no, and I agree. We would have spoken out. That’s the kind of bold approach we brought to leadership.”

Reflecting on his political relationship with Lamido, Amaechi shared that they had worked closely as allies during their tenure, although they eventually took different paths.

“We were good political partners while in government, but things went south when we disagreed on how to challenge then-President Jonathan. I believed he was just as radical as I was. We planned to confront Jonathan as a group, but Lamido eventually backed the SDP while some of us remained with the APC. That’s where we split,” he said.

The former minister also acknowledged that while their friendship had ups and downs, their shared history in politics was marked by determination and passion for reform.

Amaechi’s comments come at a time of heightened public discourse around governance and political accountability in Nigeria.