APC Questions Amaechi’s VP Bid Over Mother’s Death Claim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has questioned the suitability of former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for the office of vice-president, following his claim that economic hardship contributed to the death of his mother.

Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation and current vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had said he struggled to afford medication for his mother after President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Amaechi said: “Tinubu’s policies killed my mother. Before Tinubu came, my mother was healthy. After 2023, it was difficult for me to buy drugs for my mother.”

His mother, Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, died on July 16 at the age of 89.

Reacting to the former governor’s claim, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described Amaechi’s statement as evidence of what the party called his unsuitability for the vice-presidential position.

Morka, in a statement issued on Sunday, recalled Amaechi’s years in public office, including his tenure as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor of the state and Minister of Transportation.

He also referred to Amaechi’s previous presidential ambition and his current bid to become the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate, arguing that his recent account of financial difficulty was at odds with his long career in government.

“Rotimi Amaechi freeloaded at the highest levels of public office. He was never hungry and could afford medications for himself and his family,” Morka stated.

The APC spokesman further alleged that Amaechi had become financially distressed only a few years after leaving office.

“Just three years out of office, he has become destitute, unable to fend for himself and his loved ones,” he said.

According to Morka, Amaechi’s account raised questions about the motivation behind his pursuit of the vice-presidency, accusing him of seeking public office to continue benefiting from government resources.

He said: “The presidency is not a soup kitchen, and will not be a soup kitchen for Rotimi Amaechi.”

Morka added that Amaechi’s own account of his financial circumstances provided, in the party’s view, a basis for questioning his readiness for higher political office.

“There can be no better speaker of Rotimi Amaechi’s unfitness for the office of vice-president than Rotimi Amaechi himself,” the APC spokesman stated.

The party, however, offered condolences to Amaechi over his mother’s death and prayed for his wellbeing, even as it continued its criticism of his political ambition.

Amaechi’s comments had centred on the wider economic difficulties Nigerians face, particularly the rising cost of medicines and the impact of government policies on household finances.

The APC’s reaction came amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Amaechi emerging as one of the prominent opposition figures seeking a role in the ADC-led political arrangement.

Former Rivers State governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, had also criticised Amaechi over the comments, accusing him of politicising his mother’s death.