Amaechi made the claims on Friday during a morning programme on Channels Television, where he responded to questions about his political journey from the PDP to the APC and now to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has alleged that he was forced out of both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife of orchestrating his exit from the PDP.
Amaechi made the claims on Friday during a morning programme on Channels Television, where he responded to questions about his political journey from the PDP to the APC and now to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
When asked why he had moved across multiple political parties and whether critics were right to label him a serial disruptor, Amaechi dismissed the notion and insisted that his exits were not voluntary.
“Look, again, funny question. So I left the PDP. The country knew what happened. I was literally chased out of PDP. You want me to remind you that I was chased out of PDP?” he said.
Pressed on who was responsible for his exit, Amaechi replied: “The president.”
When the interviewer clarified if he meant former President Goodluck Jonathan, Amaechi responded: “Yes, with his wife. He took over the political structure in Rivers State and chased me out.”
According to him, the same pattern played out in the APC.
When asked whether President Bola Tinubu forced him out of the ruling party, Amaechi avoided mentioning names but insisted he would not remain silent in the face of injustice.
“Hold on, sir. I will never keep quiet in the face of injustice. So when I do that, they begin to plan to make me irrelevant. So that happened in PDP, the president, Goodluck and his wife, chased me out and handed over the structure to other people,” he said.
Amaechi added that his troubles in the PDP began during his tenure as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
“My offence was because I was chairman of the Governors’ Forum. We contested,” he stated.
He said similar circumstances led to his exit from the APC, prompting his move to the ADC.
“The same happened. I was chased out of APC. Then I went to ADC,” Amaechi said.
However, the former minister stressed that beyond political disputes, his disagreements also stem from policy differences, particularly on governance and inclusivity.
“I don’t also agree with the policies some of them are pursuing,” he said.
Amaechi revealed that he had previously discussed his concerns with Jonathan and also expressed reservations about President Tinubu’s leadership capacity.
“The first day they said President Tinubu won the primary, I told him I don’t agree with him,” he said.
Explaining his position, Amaechi argued that Nigeria’s complexity requires a leadership style that balances ethnic, religious, and economic interests.
“There is a balance in society. The balance is that you must protect all religious interests, all ethnic interests. And I don’t see the way the president governs Lagos that he has the capacity to govern Nigeria,” he said.
He warned against exclusionary governance, stressing that all groups must feel represented.
“I will not be president and everybody will come from the South-South. I will not be president and all of my friends will be ministers. No. Nigeria is complex and it’s huge. All interests must come to play,” he added.
Amaechi further emphasised the need to accommodate all regions, including the North and South-East.
“You must also allow the Hausa-Fulani man to know that he’s a Nigerian. You must allow the Igbo man to know that. An Igbo man must be proud to be called a Nigerian,” he said.
He cautioned that continued marginalisation could deepen agitations in parts of the country.
“If you continue what you are doing currently, the Igbos will not be happy. They will continue to say they want to leave. So every interest must be represented,” Amaechi warned.
Amaechi added that his outspokenness often attracts political retaliation.
“When I see this injustice and I speak out, they come after me,” he said.
https://x.com/Imranmuhdz/status/2045053606286561694?s=20