ABUJA, NIGERIA — African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi has linked the difficulty he experienced in purchasing medication for his late mother to the broader economic challenges he says Nigerians have faced under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Amaechi made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, October 2, 2026, while discussing the effect of government policies on households and access to basic necessities.
The former Rivers State governor said his mother had been in relatively good health before the Tinubu administration came into office but that purchasing her medicines later became increasingly difficult.
Amaechi Recalls His Mother’s Treatment
Amaechi said his personal experience with his mother shaped his concerns about the ability of Nigerians to afford healthcare.
He said the challenge was not limited to his family, arguing that other Nigerians had also struggled with the rising cost of essential goods and services.
“His policies are killing people. I’ve lost my mother; so many people have lost their persons,” Amaechi said during the interview.
He added that his mother had been healthy before the current administration but claimed that the rising difficulty of purchasing medicines became a problem during the period.
“Before Tinubu, my mother was healthy. By the time Tinubu came, it was difficult to buy drugs for my mother,” he said.
Amaechi acknowledged that some people might question the connection he was making between the economic situation and his mother’s experience.
“I know most of the people won’t believe this,” he said.
Broader Concerns About Healthcare Costs
Amaechi placed the experience within his wider criticism of the economic conditions facing Nigerians.
He referred to the deaths of people known to him and said the difficulties surrounding healthcare affordability should be considered alongside other pressures confronting households.
His comments reflect a broader political debate over the effect of inflation and rising living costs on access to healthcare, particularly for people who depend on regular medication.
However, Amaechi’s account of his mother’s health and the circumstances surrounding her death is a personal claim. The remarks do not, by themselves, establish a medical cause of death or independently demonstrate that a particular government policy caused her death.
Economic Policies Remain Political Issue
The cost of medicines has remained part of wider discussions about healthcare affordability in Nigeria, where patients who pay directly for treatment can be affected by increases in the prices of medicines and other healthcare services.
Amaechi has increasingly made economic hardship and the cost of living central themes in his political comments as he campaigns alongside ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
His latest remarks add a personal dimension to his criticism, with the former governor using his family’s experience to illustrate what he describes as the consequences of economic pressures on ordinary Nigerians.
Amaechi’s Wider Criticism
Amaechi has previously criticised aspects of the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, including fuel pricing and the removal of petrol subsidies.
The government and its supporters have defended the reforms as necessary measures aimed at addressing longstanding economic problems, while opposition figures have continued to question their immediate effects on households.
The competing positions remain part of Nigeria’s broader political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi’s comments about his mother therefore form part of his wider argument about the relationship between government policy, household purchasing power and access to basic services.
The full segment referenced in the report was identified as running from approximately 37:17 to 37:46 of the Channels Television interview.
