Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed that he and ex-Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido, would have openly confronted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if they were still holding office.
Amaechi made this known on Tuesday, May 14, during the public presentation of Lamido’s autobiography titled “Being True to Myself”, held in Abuja.
Reflecting on their time as governors, Amaechi highlighted the firm and fearless stance that once defined the Nigeria Governors’ Forum under his leadership.
“I asked you (Lamido) this morning, what is going on currently in the country, in Nigerian politics — would it have happened when we were governors? You said no. And the answer is no,” Amaechi said while addressing the audience.
He added, “We would have confronted the government, confronted the president. That’s how radical you were. That’s how our Governors Forum operated. That’s how determined we were to change things.”
The comment comes at a time when citizens are increasingly vocal about the country’s economic situation.
Moreover, Amaechi pointed out that governance during their era was not only active but also focused on holding the Federal Government accountable.
According to him, leadership must involve standing firm, especially when things are not going well.
Meanwhile, he shared personal moments about his strong political connection with Lamido, describing him as a trusted ally.
“We were quite good friends in government. We had our bad times when we disagreed,” Amaechi said.
He continued, “I made the mistake of assuming he was as radical as I was. So, he was one of the governors I clung to when it came to radical decisions.”
However, their relationship hit a bump during the buildup to the 2015 general elections.
Amaechi recalled their final disagreement, saying, “The last one before we broke ranks was when we all agreed to go against President Jonathan.
We formed a committee of governors and others.”
He went on, “At the end of the day, he went to find a new party, the SDP. We said, ‘If we go to the SDP, we will lose the election.
Let’s hang on to this one called the APC.’ He disagreed and left us. That’s where we parted ways.”
Furthermore, this reflection is not just a political commentary but a call to unite across party lines for a better Nigeria.
Amaechi’s comments underline that strong and honest opposition is important in any working democracy.
