Amaechi Vows to Resign If Nigeria Fails to Change Within One Year Under ADC

Vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has pledged to resign from office if Nigerians do not begin to see meaningful changes within one year of an ADC-led government assuming power in 2027.

Amaechi made the statement during an interview on AIT’s Democracy Today programme on Wednesday, where he outlined some of the areas an ADC administration would focus on, including security, education, the economy and the fight against corruption.

According to him, reducing corruption would be necessary to free up public resources for investment in critical sectors of the economy. He alleged that funds meant for areas such as security and education were being diverted into private hands.

“We must deal with three things. We must deal with security; we must deal with education; we must deal with the economy. And to do all that, corruption will have to come down because there’s no money for anybody to steal,” Amaechi said.

The former Rivers State governor also criticised the Federal Government’s removal of the petrol subsidy, questioning the extent to which Nigerians have benefited from the policy. He argued that the financial gains from the removal had not sufficiently translated into improved living conditions for citizens.

“President Tinubu removed subsidy, what are the benefits of subsidy? Subsidy money is in private pockets and they are celebrating,” he said.

Amaechi further raised concerns about the contrast between the level of poverty in the country and the amount of money reportedly spent at lavish social events.

He said he sometimes leaves such gatherings after only a short period because he questions how some individuals are able to fund expensive celebrations amid the economic difficulties faced by many Nigerians.

“I sit down and ask myself, where are these people getting this money from, going by how high poverty is in Nigeria?” he said.

On the state of the Nigerian economy, Amaechi expressed concern about the country’s reliance on imported finished products. He claimed that more than 46 per cent of finished goods consumed in Nigeria are imported.

“We import over 46 per cent of finished goods; Nigeria is in trouble,” he said.

The ADC candidate also referred to reports of Nigerians booing President Bola Tinubu during his movement from the Lagos International Airport, saying an ADC government would seek to change the circumstances that he believes have contributed to public dissatisfaction.

“I watched people hoot at Tinubu from the Lagos International Airport to his house. If we become President, nobody will do that, they will be clapping for us because we will change Nigeria,” Amaechi said.

His one-year pledge comes shortly after Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, made a separate commitment regarding his continued role in government if President Tinubu does not secure the expected electoral result in the FCT and Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election.

Amaechi, however, said he was willing to personally tie his continued stay in office to the performance of an ADC administration.

“This time, I will say it. If Nigeria does not begin to change one year after we’ve come to office, come to me, I will resign,” he said.