Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed disappointment over the current state of the nation under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that if he and former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, were still in office, they would have fiercely challenged the federal government.
Amaechi made the remark in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of Lamido’s autobiography titled Being True to Myself. Reflecting on a past era of vibrant political opposition and accountability, the former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum asserted that the prevailing political silence among governors is troubling and uncharacteristic of the Nigeria they once served.
“I asked you (Lamido) this morning, what is going on currently in the country, in Nigerian politics — would it have happened when we were governors? You said no. And the answer is no,” Amaechi said, drawing applause from a hall filled with political figures, journalists, and civil society actors.
He emphasized that during their time, the governors were not afraid to speak out or challenge the policies of the federal government when national interest was at stake. Amaechi hinted that the lack of strong opposition voices in the current landscape has allowed unpopular policies and governance lapses to go unchecked.
The public presentation of Lamido's autobiography provided a backdrop for nostalgic reflections on Nigeria’s political history and the need to revive a culture of principled leadership, integrity, and fearless engagement.
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