Why Nigerians continue to vote in bad leaders – Amaechi

A former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has blamed Nigerians for their inability to elect “quality leaders” for the country.

Mr Amaechi stated this on Thursday during the 2023 The Niche Annual Lecture in Lagos.

A video clip which showed him making the comments was uploaded on Channels TV’s X handle (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday.

The former minister said he had restrained himself from speaking on national issues because Nigerians know the truth about politicians with questionable records but still vote for them during elections.

“What is new to say, Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? Tell me one politician that told you he’s not a thief? I don’t know why you’re grappling (with) forgery or no forgery. Which politician told you he went to a university? Which politician told you he served in NYSC, and which politician told you he has a certificate?” he said.

“Nigerians know and still vote for them, so what is your problem? So, why I should speak when already there’s nothing new?

“Nigerians choose who to believe and who not to believe; Nigerians choose who to vote for and who not to vote for. Even if you come to a Nigerian man’s house and kill his mother, the father will continue his life. Nothing bothers you, nothing. So, why should I waste my time?” Mr Amaechi added.

Connecting the dots?

Mr Amaechi, who served as the governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015, is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The former minister did not mention names. But he appeared to be referring to controversies surrounding the alleged forgery of Chicago State University (CSU) Certificate by President Bola Tinubu.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, had requested and obtained Mr Tinubu’s CSU academic records for use in Supreme Court in his attempt to substantiate the claim that the president forged the CSU certificate he submitted to Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, to participate in the February election.

Atiku’s team would later say they were able to establish that Mr Tinubu committed forgery, has dual citizenship, and presented an NYSC certificate that has a different name from the one he submitted to INEC.

Mr Amaechi’s comments came shortly after the Supreme Court dismissed the bid by Atiku to tender Mr Tinubu’s CSU academic records.

The court held that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain such evidence that was not tendered before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which had earlier affirmed the election of Mr Tinubu.