Rotimi Amaechi, the former Minister of Transportation, has expressed regret over his approach during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, where he lost to President Bola Tinubu. In an interview on Mainland 98.3FM’s The Situation Room on Friday, Amaechi revealed that he was advised by the late President Muhammadu Buhari not to campaign or engage in deal-making.
Amaechi stated, “The first mistake that I made at that primary was that I listened to President Buhari. He said to me, ‘Don’t campaign. Don’t do anything. I will announce you as my candidate.’” He noted that following this advice led to his significant defeat, where he secured only 316 votes compared to Tinubu’s 1,271.
Despite acknowledging the support he received from Buhari, Amaechi admitted that his lack of negotiation with delegates left him at a disadvantage. He suggested that had he made political deals, he could have garnered more support, potentially altering the primary’s outcome.
Furthermore, Amaechi raised concerns about the influence of religious factors on the 2022 primary, claiming that Tinubu’s supporters leveraged religious appeals to attract delegates, particularly from northern regions. He highlighted involvement from several Yoruba Muslim groups who reportedly sought support for Tinubu on religious grounds.
Although aware of these dynamics, Amaechi emphasized his commitment to national unity, stating that using religious identity for political support could exacerbate divisions in Nigeria. He firmly stated he would not base his campaign on religious affiliation, asserting, “That makes me a nationalist.”
