I’ll Back Tinubu If Petrol Falls To N600- Amaechi

The Vice-Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Rotimi Amaechi, has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the rising cost of living, saying the removal of fuel subsidy has made life more difficult for Nigerians.

Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor and Minister of Transportation, made the remarks on Friday.

He offered to withdraw as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s running mate and campaign for Tinubu if petrol sells for N600 per litre by Saturday.

“Don’t bother about my views, I will go tomorrow morning to a petrol station myself so that you can see. If fuel has come down to 600 I will campaign for President Tinubu. If fuel comes down tomorrow to 600 I will campaign for President Tinubu.

“Tomorrow, if you are doubtful come with your camera tomorrow in the morning and I will go to a filling station and I will buy fuel, if it comes down to this thing, I Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi will withdraw as the vice presidential candidate of Atiku and campaign for President Tinubu if it has come down,” Amaechi said.

Petrol prices have remained significantly above N600 per litre. Recent reports put pump prices at more than N1,300 per litre in many parts of the country, amid renewed debate over the removal of fuel subsidy and the cost of living.

Amaechi also criticised the Tinubu administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, arguing that adequate measures were not put in place to cushion the effect on Nigerians.

The Nigerian Government has maintained that subsidy removal was necessary and has defended the policy on the grounds that the previous arrangement was financially unsustainable. Petroleum Minister of State Heineken Lokpobiri has also said petrol pricing is now deregulated and influenced by global energy prices.

Amaechi attacks Tinubu over corruption claims

Amaechi also accused the Tinubu administration of being more corrupt than that of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“If you compare the two you will think there was no corruption under Buhari’s government,” he said.

He argued that the difference was that corruption under Buhari was less glaring, while those he accused of corruption under the Tinubu administration were, in his view, not making similar efforts to conceal it.

“(Corruption under Buhari) not as bad as this (under Tinubu). You know the difference? The difference is that when you are corrupt you hide it, these people are not hiding it, it’s so glaring.”

Asked about his own record while serving as Transportation Minister under Buhari, Amaechi denied being corrupt.

“I have said it several times. The other time Maupe was interviewing me and she asked, ‘are you corrupt?’ and I said no and I am waiting for the person that will prove that I am corrupt. I will say it again and again, I will not near corruption, I will not get close to corruption.”

Amaechi questions infrastructure record

The ADC vice-presidential candidate also criticised the Tinubu administration over infrastructure delivery, challenging it to identify major projects completed since taking office.

He compared the administration’s record with that of Buhari, citing the Abuja-Kaduna railway as an example of a project he said had been completed during Buhari’s first term.

“The only thing you can judge us and look at it is about governance, but in terms of being able to do projects here and there, let this government show one thing they have done, including the so-called Coastal Road that I hear is N33 trillion, about $16 billion.

“By this time in the first tenure of Buhari’s government we have completed Abuja-Kaduna rail. Tell them to show one rail they have completed, they should name one project they have completed, just one, including Television House like Channels.”

The Tinubu administration has separately reported the completion or commissioning of infrastructure projects since 2023, including road projects in the Federal Capital Territory. The competing claims reflect differing assessments of the administration’s infrastructure record.

Amaechi’s comments come as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, with petrol prices, economic reforms and the cost of living emerging as prominent campaign issues.