BENIN -CITY: Former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has sparked political controversy after declaring that only “mad people” and “thieves” would vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi made the remarks on Thursday during an ADC town hall meeting in Benin City, Edo State, attended by party leaders, candidates, supporters and other dignitaries.
The meeting provided a platform for the opposition party to present its vision for Edo State and Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking at the gathering, Amaechi criticised supporters of Tinubu’s re-election bid, arguing that Nigerians dissatisfied with the president’s leadership should reject him at the polls.
They are going about saying, Vote Tinubu, vote Tinubu. Only thieves will vote for Tinubu, Amaechi said.
He also suggested that the 2027 election would reveal the number of Nigerians willing to support the president despite the opposition’s criticisms of his administration.
In fact, I read on one of the social media platforms that it is in 2027 that we will know how many mad men we have in Nigeria because it is only a mad man that can vote for Tinubu, he added.
Amaechi specifically challenged voters in Edo State to reject Tinubu, saying the president should not win the state if its electorate disagreed with his policies and performance.
If Edo people vote for Tinubu, that means Edo people are mad. If you are not mad, Tinubu should not win here, he declared.
His comments have added to the increasingly heated political exchanges ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition figures intensifying their criticism of the Tinubu administration.
Reacting to Amaechi’s remarks, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary in Edo State, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, dismissed the comments as trivial and said the electorate would ultimately decide whom to support.
He argued that Edo voters were politically informed and capable of making independent decisions at the ballot box.
It’s not all statements that we must react to. If he likes, let him say that Edo people are mad. It’s Edo people that will know whether they are mad or not,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie said.
The APC spokesman described Amaechi’s comments as senseless and maintained that the people of Edo State had demonstrated political maturity through their electoral choices.
He cited the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo as evidence of what he described as the electorate’s ability to distinguish between competing political parties and candidates.
Uwadiae-Igbinigie also criticised the ADC, describing its members as politically disconnected and arguing that the party lacked the credibility to challenge the APC effectively in Edo State.
The Edo APC spokesman defended Tinubu’s administration, pointing to the Federal Government’s reforms and ongoing infrastructure development in Edo State as reasons voters should support the president’s re-election.
He argued that the relationship between the federal and state governments had contributed to development in Edo and said voters could demonstrate their appreciation through their support for Tinubu in 2027.
Uwadiae-Igbinigie described Tinubu as a politically experienced leader and portrayed the APC as a party with members who had held public office and contributed to national development.
He also expressed confidence that the APC would secure substantial support in Edo State, claiming the party had promised Tinubu 2.5 million votes.
“Edo people will massively vote for Tinubu, and we have promised him 2.5 million votes in Edo, and it is realisable,” he said.
He added that supporters of Governor Okpebholo believed the state’s development efforts justified backing the president at the next election.
The APC spokesman’s remarks represent a sharp rebuttal of Amaechi’s challenge and underscore the intensifying political rivalry between the ruling party and the ADC ahead of the 2027 polls.
The exchange highlights the increasingly confrontational tone of political campaigning as parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 general elections.
While Amaechi urged Edo voters to reject Tinubu, the APC maintained that the president’s reforms and the state government’s development record would attract widespread support.
Ultimately, the outcome will depend on voters, whose decisions at the ballot box will determine the strength of each party’s support in Edo State and across Nigeria.
Neither Amaechi’s prediction of Tinubu’s rejection nor the APC’s claim of 2.5 million votes represents a confirmed electoral outcome.
