Former Rivers State governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Rotimi Amaechi, has urged Nigerians to come out in large numbers to vote in the 2027 general elections, saying President Bola Tinubu can be defeated if citizens actively participate.
Amaechi, who recently declared his intention to contest for president in 2027, made the statement in Abuja during the fifth anniversary lecture of First Daily newspaper, themed “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?”
He said Tinubu’s defeat in Lagos State during the 2023 elections was proof that the president is not invincible.
“The first solution to electoral reform is not the government; it is the people,” Amaechi said. “When people keep saying results are already written, it leads to voter apathy. Voter apathy will make Tinubu return to the Villa. If he was defeated in Lagos, he can be defeated again. The problem is the opposition.”
The former Minister of Transportation said it was unrealistic to expect the government in power to lead electoral reform, adding that no ruling party would willingly make changes that could weaken its position.
He also criticised opposition parties for being divided and unprepared, saying their lack of unity and strategy often strengthens the ruling party.
“I tell the opposition parties that they are the problem. Nobody is discussing how to save Nigeria or how to offer a better alternative,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, former Bayelsa State governor Seriake Dickson, who chaired the lecture, condemned election rigging, describing it as “the worst coup against democracy.”
He said the manipulation of results by politicians and government officials destroys public trust and denies citizens their right to choose their leaders.
“The worst form of violation of the people’s sovereignty is when politicians and the electoral body collude to cook up results. That is a coup against democracy,” Dickson stated.
Other speakers, including political analyst Dr Sam Amadi, called for urgent reforms in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stressing that credible elections are the foundation of national stability and public confidence.
Publisher of First Daily, Daniel Markson, said Nigeria’s failure to produce accountable leadership stems from flawed elections, announcing plans for a nationwide voter sensitisation campaign ahead of 2027.
Nigeria’s struggle for credible elections has remained a challenge since the return to democracy in 1999. Despite technological reforms like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, allegations of vote-buying, intimidation, and result manipulation persist — issues that continue to shape public debate ahead of the 2027 polls.
