Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has claimed that Nigerians are beginning to miss late President Muhammadu Buhari because life was better under his administration.
Amaechi, who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.
He urged Nigerians to compare their living conditions under Buhari with the current situation under President Bola Tinubu.
“I always like to quote the former president, Buhari. He will say, ‘People will call me back.’ Nigerians will say, ‘We miss former President Buhari’; are they not saying that now?” Amaechi said.
He argued that the exchange rate, petrol prices and alleged corruption were reasons Nigerians were looking back at Buhari’s administration.
Amaechi Compares Fuel Prices and Exchange Rates
Amaechi said the dollar exchanged for about ₦600 when Buhari left office in 2023, while petrol cost less than ₦300 per litre.
“By the time we left office, dollar was at 600, by the time we left office, fuel was below 300,” he said.
He also questioned whether alleged corruption under Buhari could compare with what he described as the situation under Tinubu.
“What is going on now is what I call ‘Alibaba and the 40 thieves’,” he added.
Amaechi further alleged that contractors who handled projects under his former Ministry of Transportation had been arrested.
“They have arrested almost all the contractors in the Ministry of transport, looking for what I have done in the ministry,” he said.
He also criticised the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, alleging that Tinubu chose to construct it because of the benefits he would receive.
Amaechi Defends Buhari’s Decision to Retain Fuel Subsidy
During the interview, Amaechi was asked whether some of Nigeria’s current economic challenges resulted from decisions taken under Buhari.
The question specifically referenced Buhari’s refusal to remove petrol subsidy.
Amaechi dismissed the suggestion and challenged his interviewer to identify an example.
“Name one,” he replied.
He also defended the ADC’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected in 2027.
According to Amaechi, the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, supports a production-based subsidy that would benefit locally refined petroleum products.
“We (the ADC) have said we will re-introduce fuel subsidy because the fuel subsidy he removed was wrong,” he said.
Amaechi admitted that he had previously supported removing the subsidy but said Buhari had rejected the proposal.
“In fact, thank God he didn’t, I was among those pushing that he should remove fuel subsidy, he said no, it was wrong,” he added.
He said the proposed arrangement would encourage investment in local refineries by making domestic production a condition for receiving subsidy support.
“Atiku has come up with a better procedure to manage fuel subsidy. We are reintroducing production fuel subsidy. If you don’t produce in Nigeria, we will not give you subsidy,” Amaechi said.
His comments come as political parties prepare for the 2027 presidential election, with economic hardship and fuel prices expected to remain major campaign issues.
