In what is being seen as a major revelation within Nigeria’s political landscape, Senator Ali Ndume has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of abandoning former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, after the 2023 general election despite his pivotal role in the party’s past successes.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Ndume, who has grown increasingly vocal in his criticism of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership, lamented what he described as a pattern of betrayal and exclusion of key founding members of the party — with Amaechi as a prime example.
“Let’s be honest – Amaechi was one of the pillars of the APC. He stood by the party in its formative years and contributed immensely to its victory in 2015 and beyond,” Ndume stated.
“But after the 2023 election, President Tinubu completely sidelined him.
Not a board appointment, not a consultation – nothing.”
According to Ndume, the marginalization of Amaechi is symbolic of a larger issue plaguing the APC: a culture of ingratitude and selective loyalty.
“You don’t discard your allies the moment power is secured. Amaechi may not have supported Tinubu’s presidential bid during the primaries, but in politics, maturity means reconciliation. Instead, what we have seen is silence and exclusion,” he said.
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and a two-time Director-General of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign, contested the APC presidential primary in 2022 and was seen as one of Tinubu’s main challengers. Since Tinubu’s emergence and eventual election, Amaechi has largely remained out of the spotlight, sparking speculation about internal tensions.
Ndume’s remarks have now added weight to those suspicions, suggesting that Amaechi’s political exile may not be coincidental but rather a deliberate move by the presidency.
“It’s not just Amaechi,” Ndume continued. “There are many others – people who built the party brick by brick – who have been cast aside for not pledging blind loyalty. That is not how to run a government or unite a party.”
He warned that the growing list of disgruntled party members could pose a serious threat to the APC’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections, calling on the president to reach out and rebuild broken bridges within the party.
“If you continue to alienate people like Amaechi, the same foundation that brought the APC to power could be the reason it falls. President Tinubu needs to look beyond personal politics and focus on building an inclusive legacy,” he said.
There has been no official response from the presidency or Amaechi himself regarding the senator’s claims. However, political observers note that Amaechi’s conspicuous absence from the Tinubu administration’s inner circle has raised eyebrows among supporters and critics alike.
The comments by Senator Ndume further underscore the widening cracks within the ruling party, as prominent figures continue to voice concerns over the direction of the Tinubu-led government and its treatment of party loyalists.
As the political temperature rises ahead of the next electoral cycle, insiders suggest that Tinubu may soon be forced to choose between consolidating loyalty through inclusion — or risking fragmentation within his party.
