2027: Defeating Tinubu requires competence, not ethnicity – Atiku’s ex-aide cautions Amaechi

Demola Olarewaju, former aide to Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi against what he described as an “imaginary regional candidacy plan” ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Olarewaju said Amaechi is too accomplished and visionary to push a political strategy anchored on ethnicity or regional sentiment.

“With all respect, H.E. Rotimi Amaechi is too accomplished and visionary to be seen pushing himself forward with an imaginary regional candidacy plan,” he wrote on X.

Olarewaju said Amaechi’s political record provides stronger credentials than any appeal to a southern presidency narrative.

“Amaechi’s capacity as speaker, minister, DG of Buhari’s campaigns, two-term governor and chairman of the governors’ forum, powerful enough to go against Jonathan within the PDP in 2015, gives him too many talking points to be seduced by the idea of ‘southern president’,” he said.

Olarewaju said the ethnic argument only reinforces the talking points of the incumbent.

“Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government is bad for all Nigerians regardless of ethnicity, and their only talking point currently is ‘power must stay in the south’,” he said.

He added that the opposition should focus on governance and competence rather than identity politics.

“An opposition party that works for Nigerians should set the agenda away from ethnic politics rather than help him propagate it,” Olarewaju said.

He said competence, not regional sentiment, should define the 2027 contest.

“Competence is what must be sold for 2027 — the regional agenda is simply too imaginary, because the south is too diverse,” he said.

Olarewaju argued that a southern candidate would not automatically mobilise votes across the region.

“An Ikwerre man on the ticket will not necessarily move votes from the Ijaws, not to talk of the Igbos and the Yorubas,” he said.

He urged the opposition to challenge Tinubu on governance failures and what he described as ethnocentrism.

“Defeat Tinubu on the basis of all-round incompetence and the glaring ethnocentrism, and make Nigerians happy.

“Tinubu’s attempt to cobble an all-southern voting bloc from the south-west is nothing to be reactive about — it has never worked since 1951,” he said.

He cited historical examples, noting that even past efforts fell short outside their core regions.

“The closest was Awolowo’s attempt to run with Phillip Umeadi in 1979, but he still lost the south-south to Shagari and the south-east to Zik,” Olarewaju said.

Olarewaju said the only successful southern consolidation occurred under Obasanjo due to internal power-sharing arrangements within the ruling party.

“The only time it worked was for Obasanjo, and only because the south-east and south-south were firmly in the power-sharing arrangement of the ruling party,” he said.

He added that Tinubu’s strategy would falter if it required altering the current vice-presidential arrangement.

“Tinubu’s attempt will fail at the Niger-Benue confluence when he is unable to sacrifice Shettima for a Christian vice-president as the north-central wants,” Olarewaju said.

Olarewaju concluded by saying Amaechi’s political depth goes beyond the remarks attributed to him.

“H.E. Rotimi Amaechi is a respected politician with vast competencies, and I’m certain this clip doesn’t capture the full range of his political thoughts, strategies and visionary ideas,” he said.