Buhari Told Me Not To Campaign, Promised Me APC Ticket

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has revealed that late President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly promised him the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket ahead of the party’s 2022 primary and instructed him not to campaign.

Amaechi said he relied on the assurance, which he claimed was communicated in writing, and consequently failed to build political alliances with governors and other influential party members before the contest.

The former Minister of Transportation disclosed this during an interview on Mainland 98.3FM’s The Situation Room programme in Lagos on Friday, November 6.

Reflecting on his defeat to President Bola Tinubu at the June 2022 APC presidential primary, Amaechi described his decision to follow Buhari’s advice as his biggest mistake during the contest.

“The first mistake that I made at that primary was that I listened to President Buhari. He said to me, ‘Don’t campaign. Don’t do anything. I will announce you as my candidate.’

“He told me that. He put it in writing. When I write my book, I’ll put it out,” Amaechi said.

The former Rivers governor explained that he believed Buhari’s assurance because he had served under him as Minister of Transportation and considered the former president’s position influential enough to secure the party’s ticket.

According to him, his decision not to engage in political negotiations with governors and other influential stakeholders also reduced his chances of winning the primary.

Amaechi said he could have negotiated political arrangements, including promising influential party members positions such as the vice-presidency and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to secure their support.

“Now, I didn’t do deals. So I would have promised you vice-president, promised you SGF, and then would have gone for this primary, I would have possibly won. I would have had governors on my side.

“Because I didn’t do deals, Tinubu had the chance to do deals,” he said.

Amaechi also accused Tinubu’s supporters of using religious considerations to attract delegates during the presidential primary.

He alleged that a group of Yoruba Muslims from the South approached governors in the North-West and appealed to them to support Tinubu on religious grounds.

The former minister further mentioned former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, whom he said had initially supported his presidential ambition before eventually backing Tinubu.

Amaechi, however, maintained that he would not use religious identity to mobilise political support, arguing that such an approach could deepen divisions in the country.

He questioned the practice of encouraging Nigerians to support political candidates because they belong to the same religious group, saying he would not adopt such a strategy even if it improved his electoral chances.

At the APC presidential primary held at Eagle Square, Abuja, in June 2022, Tinubu defeated other aspirants with 1,271 votes, while Amaechi finished second with 316 votes. Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 235 votes.

Tinubu’s victory secured him the ruling party’s ticket for the 2023 presidential election, which he subsequently won.

Amaechi, who previously served as Director-General of Buhari’s successful 2015 presidential campaign, later became a member of his cabinet as Minister of Transportation.

The former minister said he intends to make public the alleged written assurance from Buhari when he publishes his book.

The document, if released, could provide further insight into his account of the discussions preceding the 2022 APC presidential primary.