Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has definitively ended speculation about joining former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s ticket for Nigeria’s 2027 presidential elections.
Speaking at a recent Abuja event, Amaechi dismissed rumors of becoming a running mate, framing his refusal as a combination of personal political stature and constitutional concerns. The former Minister of Transportation stated:
“I will not be vice president to anybody. There are too many reasons why I won’t be vice president. The first reason is that I’m too presidential to be vice.”
Amaechi, who currently seeks the presidential nomination of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), criticized Nigeria’s vice-presidential office as structurally subordinate. He argued the role lacks substantive power and depends entirely on presidential discretion.
“The office of the vice president is designed to be subordinate, often powerless, and entirely dependent on the president’s temperament,” he explained. “We will quarrel. Instead of that, I would rather serve as a minister than be vice president.”
The former Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly emphasized that his political experience and profile make a subordinate role untenable in Nigeria’s current political structure.
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