APC attacks Amaechi over account of mother’s medical costs

Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress has criticised Rotimi Amaechi after the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate said he had struggled to afford medication for his late mother during her prolonged illness. Amaechi made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday. He attributed the financial difficulty to hardship caused, in his account, by policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement on Sunday, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said Amaechi had benefited from public office for decades but had become financially distressed only a few years after leaving government. The party described his account as evidence of dependence on political office. The APC referred to Amaechi’s previous positions as a former two-term Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term governor, two-term Minister of Transportation and presidential aspirant.

It also noted that he is now the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate for 2027. The party said Amaechi was seeking the vice-presidential nomination to continue relying on public funds. It argued that his statements raised questions about his suitability for the office and said the presidency should not be used as a source of personal support.

Morka’s statement included a prayer for the repose of the soul of Amaechi’s mother, identified as Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi. It also made personal remarks about the former governor’s ability to find paid employment after leaving public office. The APC additionally referred to an earlier statement attributed to Amaechi that he had become so poor and hungry that his wife was feeding him.

Amaechi’s televised comments and the party’s response were presented in the context of the 2027 political contest.