Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has challenged President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate real confidence ahead of the 2027 elections by directing the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to stop interfering with the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Amaechi issued the challenge on Friday during an interview on Channels Television, reacting to reports that Tinubu had reassured his supporters while downplaying opposition mobilisation around the African Democratic Congress.
“If he’s confident, tell him to tell Nuhu Ribadu to leave his judiciary and INEC. Why apply the use of the institutions, the federal institutions against the ADC?
“Tell him that if he’s confident, he should instruct his national security adviser to leave the judiciary and INEC alone and see whether he’ll win the election,” the former minister of transportation said.
When asked to clarify the allegation, Amaechi declined to provide further details.
“I will not explain. If you don’t have eyes, leave it. Even Tinubu, he knows that. And he brags about it. That’s the funny part of it,” he said.
He also rejected the interpretation by INEC leadership of a Court of Appeal ruling suggesting the ADC lacks recognised leadership.
“Look at the interpretation of the ruling or judgment by the Court of Appeal. Amupitan interpreted the judgment to be that we are leaderless. But that’s not true. And that’s not what the law says,” Amaechi said.
Amaechi, who previously managed the presidential campaigns of Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019, is now aligned with the ADC as a key opposition figure ahead of 2027.
His remarks come amid an escalating leadership dispute within the ADC. INEC recently withdrew recognition of the party’s national chairman David Mark and national secretary Rauf Aregbesola, citing a Court of Appeal directive to maintain the status quo pending resolution of a case filed by a rival faction loyal to Nafiu Bala Gombe.
INEC chairman Joash Amupitan had earlier warned the party against proceeding with congresses or a national convention without the commission’s supervision, cautioning that ignoring a subsisting court order could invalidate any electoral victory.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan said at the time.
The ADC has pushed back, insisting that the “status quo” referenced by the court refers to the period before the legal dispute—when Mark was still recognised as chairman.
Meanwhile, the party has drawn several prominent figures, including Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso, boosting its profile as a potential challenger to the ruling APC in the 2027 elections.
