The Tinubu Support Group in Bayelsa State has replied the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi. It says supporters of President Bola Tinubu are “madly in love” with him and will re-elect him in 2027.
The Director of Media of the group, Udengs Eradiri, spoke in a statement on Sunday. He called Amaechi’s reported remark reckless and irresponsible.
Amaechi had said only thieves and mad people would vote for Tinubu.
“We are not thieves and we do not have any mental problem,” Eradiri said. He added that Tinubu is their democratic choice.
According to him, the group loves the President for two reasons. First, he comes from the South, where the presidency stays until 2031. Second, he has shown courage by taking tough decisions that earlier leaders avoided.
Eradiri argued that four years was too short for the change Nigeria needs.
However, he said the opposition had yet to prove it could manage the nation’s resources better.
He also said Amaechi’s words showed how hollow the opposition is, and would push voters away.
Eradiri accused the former Rivers governor of hypocrisy.
He said Amaechi once persuaded Nigerians to vote for the All Progressives Congress when Tinubu led the party. He also recalled Amaechi’s role in the APC campaign against former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Is he now saying that the people he convinced to vote for APC then are mad people and thieves?” Eradiri asked. By that logic, he said, Amaechi would be guilty too.
Eradiri further accused Amaechi of undermining the South’s claim to the presidency.
He said Tinubu’s supporters would stand by power rotation. Any attempt to take the seat from the South before its turn, he added, would be an injustice.
He compared it with what he called the region’s marginalisation under Jonathan.
Eradiri also challenged Amaechi to answer the allegations raised by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
They concern deals and projects during Amaechi’s time as governor.
He cited a $1m concession fee linked to the Olympia Hotel deal.
He also named an alleged $28.4bn balance from the sale of four state-owned power plants.
In addition, he mentioned spending on the abandoned Rivers monorail and on the Karibi Whyte Hospital project.
Moreover, he faulted Amaechi for opposing the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, when he was transport minister. Niger Delta voters, he said, would not forget.
Eradiri urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Broadcasting Commission and the police to enforce the rules on campaign statements. He described Amaechi’s remarks as inflammatory and insulting.
Parties, he said, should campaign with their records, programmes and manifestos instead of name-calling. “No amount of hate, bile and name-calling will stop the majority of Nigerians from voting for Tinubu,” he said.
Finally, he dismissed the opposition ticket of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Amaechi as “dead on arrival”.
