Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has criticized Nigerian governors for what he described as their reluctance to confront President Bola Tinubu’s administration over certain governance and political matters.
Speaking at the launch of former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido’s autobiography, ‘Being True to Myself,’ in Abuja on May 13, 2025, Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, accused the current crop of Nigerian governors of lacking the courage to challenge Tinubu’s leadership style, which he claimed has brought hardships to Nigerians.
Amaechi, who once chaired the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, contrasted the timidity of the current Nigerian governors with what he said was the boldness of his era, particularly during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“I asked Lamido this morning, what is going on in Nigerian politics? Could this have happened when we were governors? The answer is no. We would have confronted the government, confronted the president,” Amaechi stated, emphasizing the radical stance of the Governors’ Forum under his leadership.
Amaechi also reflected on his political relationship with Lamido, noting that although they were allies in government, their paths diverged over strategy in opposing then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
He added: “We were quite good friends in government. We had our bad times when we disagreed. 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.
“The last one before we broke ranks was when we all agreed to go against President Jonathan. We formed a committee of governors and others. At the end of the day, he went to find a new party, the SDP. We said, ‘If we go to the SDP, we will lose the election. Let’s hang on to this one called the APC.’ He disagreed and left us. That’s where we parted ways.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the comment on Nigerian governors comes amid political tension between Amaechi and Tinubu.
The discord between Amaechi and Tinubu became evident after the 2023 APC presidential primaries, where both heavyweights vied for the party’s ticket.
Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation and two-term Rivers State governor ran against Tinubu, who ultimately secured the nomination.
Reports suggest Amaechi felt sidelined by the APC leadership.
This was said to have reportedly fueled Amaechi’s frustration, setting the stage for public criticisms of Tinubu’s leadership.
Recall also that after Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and state lawmakers for six months, Amaechi fiercely condemned the move as unconstitutional, arguing that Tinubu overstepped his authority under Sections 188 and 305 of the Nigerian Constitution.
He accused Tinubu of orchestrating a political takeover to silence opposition governors ahead of the 2027 elections.
Amaechi also claimed the suspension unfairly punished Fubara, as security responsibilities lie with the federal government, not state governors.
“Rivers governor has no security responsibility; it rests squarely on the president. So why punish a man who did not commit an offence?” Amaechi said then.
Amaechi further criticized the National Assembly for enabling Tinubu’s “constitutional breach,” calling it a weak institution.
