Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, speaking at the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation’s (AAF) Annual Leadership Discourse in Lagos, discussed his role in the 2015 presidential election, where he campaigned against then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Amaechi explained his opposition to Jonathan, stating, “The reason for removing Goodluck, I will say this in my book, is that I didn’t agree with his leadership style. You may agree that his leadership might have been better than Buhari, but do not forget that by the time he was leaving office, the dollar had started rising to between N150 and N200.”
He also recounted instances where he felt his safety was threatened during Jonathan’s presidency, emphasizing the need for civil society to resist oppression.
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Amaechi described an incident where he was prevented from entering Ekiti State, despite being a governor at the time.
“I was governor and I was stubborn. I said I must go there (Ekiti). We were there with the soldiers, struggling whether I would enter or not, until 5pm. A good man (soldier) then told me: ‘Sir, what I am doing to you now is not law, it is wrong. But in our profession, we must obey the last order. What I am about to do to you now is not part of my mandate, but I will do it. Sir, start now and leave here. Do not let darkness catch you anywhere because I can not account for your life. Wherever you are going, don’t let darkness meet you’.”
He also narrated a tense situation while attempting to install the Emir of Kano, where his plane was initially denied landing and later prevented from taking off, allegedly on orders from above.
“We got to Kano where they didn’t let us land for 20 minutes. However, we eventually landed. When the weather improved, they called us to inform us that the weather had improved. We boarded the plane and were about to leave Kano when they told us we could not leave Kano. I asked why. They said it was an order from above.”
Amaechi recounted how he was eventually advised by an SSS director to leave Kano immediately, fearing for his safety. “He said: ‘Oga, you must leave Kano now. Even if it means sleeping in Bichi.’ At the time, I didn’t know where Bichi was. I said: ‘why?’ He said: ‘I can’t account for your life.’ I told him: ‘But the governor has told me to come to the Government House.’ He said: ‘Don’t you go near there.’”
He detailed a perilous journey back to Abuja, during which he and his companions were under significant stress. “By the time I left Kano, the people with me – Goje, who was about to cry, had slept off. Baraje and Professor Gambari had slept, and I was the only person who drove. By the time I got to Zaria, I needed to ease myself. I came down, eased myself. From Kaduna, God drove us because I was sleeping. In fact, I came down in Kaduna where I bought six cans of Red Bull. It didn’t work. So God drove us from Kaduna to Abuja.”
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