2027 Politics Heats Up as Presidency, Edo APC Criticise Amaechi

Political exchanges surrounding Nigeria’s 2027 general elections intensified on Thursday, October 9, 2026, following criticism from the Presidency and the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over remarks by former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. The reactions reflect the increasingly heated debate as political actors position themselves ahead of the next presidential election. Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and now vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on the ticket of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, spoke at an ADC town hall meeting in Benin, Edo State, where party leaders and supporters gathered to discuss the party’s vision for Edo and Nigeria. At the meeting, Amaechi said: “They are going about saying, vote Tinubu, vote Tinubu; only thieves will vote for Tinubu. In fact, I read on social media 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. If Edo People vote for Tinubu, that means Edo people are mad. If you are not mad, Tinubu should not win here.” A separate report by TheCable quoted him as saying: “I read on social media that it is in 2027 that we will know how many madmen we have in Nigeria. It is only a madman that can vote for Tinubu”. “If you are not mad, then Tinubu should not win here.” Responding, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Temitope Ajayi, in an interview with Punch on Thursday evening, described Amaechi as: “a known careless and irresponsible talker” and “not a serious politician.” He added: Somebody who weaponised the death of his own mother, there is no extent such a person cannot go in uttering balderdash and gibberish.” Ajayi further said the former governor was a burden on the Atiku Abubakar ticket and had no electoral value in Rivers State. The Edo State APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Barrister Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, said in a telephone interview on Thursday that Amaechi was entitled to his opinion but that it was the Edo people who would know if they were mad or not, describing the comment as trivial. Nigeria’s next general election is expected to generate extensive debate over the economy, insecurity, employment, education and the performance of the current administration. Political figures have increasingly used town halls and media appearances to criticise opponents and present alternative positions. For many Nigerians, the key questions ahead of 2027 concern the practical results of government policies, including solutions to rising living costs, security concerns, unemployment and pressure on public services. Political criticism is a normal feature of democratic competition. However, the public benefits most when arguments are accompanied by evidence, clear policy positions and opportunities for scrutiny.