Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, says Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not make Muhammadu Buhari president in 2015, insisting that he led the major political battles that brought the former president to power.
Amaechi spoke during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television on Friday.
The former Rivers state governor said he could not publicly challenge Tinubu’s claims while serving in Buhari’s administration because doing so could have cost him his job.
Amaech noted that he played a central role in Buhari’s presidential campaign as director-general of the campaign organisation.
“When we decided to form the APC, President Tinubu was claiming he made Buhari president and I couldn’t respond because I was a minister under President Buhari,” he said.
“That would be suicidal because Buhari could fire you. Not only was I the DG of the campaign, but everybody would bear witness that I did all the battle.
“I led the governors’ forum. I crisscrossed the country fighting here and there, trying to get Nigerians to know that this is a time for change.”
Amaechi further accused Tinubu’s administration of worsening economic hardship and attempting to manipulate voters through poverty.
“President Tinubu is creating hunger as a way of manipulating voters,” he said.
“A bag of rice does not solve hunger for the rest of the year.”
He also alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is undermining opposition parties through state institutions.
“If APC is as strong as they claim, why are they not allowing opposition parties to thrive?” he asked.
“Why are they influencing government institutions against the opposition?”
Amaechi added that the first thing he would do if elected president is to enforce the rule of law.
“There has to be order,” he said.
The former minister also argued that he is more experienced than other aspirants seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“I’ve been chairman of the governors’ forum, but none of them have been, including Tinubu,” he said.
“I’ve been chairman of the speakers’ forum.”
