Former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said he neither supported the All Progrssives Congress (APC) nor voted for President Bola Tinubu in 2023 because he believed that the president lacked capacity, adding that the opposition parties can remove him from power in 2027.
Speaking at the weekend during an event organised to mark his 60th birthday anniversary, Mr Amaechi said he met President Tinubu before the 2023 presidential election and told him that he would not work or vote for him.
Mr Amaechi said his decision not to back Tinubu’s presidential bid was based on “capacity” issue.
The former Minister of Transportation, however, said he would have pursued some of the policies of the present administration if he were president, adding that the gains of the policies have not trickled down to Nigerians because “the gains of those policies are in their private pockets”.
Mr Amaechi said he does not mind submitting to the opposition to oust President Tinubu as long as the interest of the nation is served.
“I met President Tinubu in Yola and I told him I would not work for you and I would not vote for you.
“Why I’m saying this? It’s because some people in Rivers State have been saying  ‘he didn’t work for APC, he didn’t support Tinubu’. I told him in advance, before the election…because I was convinced that there was an issue of capacity.
“Some of us here who raised the issue of capacity are also the ones who vote on ethnic and religious basis or who spoil innocent or uneducated people who are poor to vote for people for ethnic or religious reasons. That’s why we are here.
“For us to position, if you want us to remove the man in power, we can remove him from this power. We want to submit to the opposition if the opposition can lead us out of this problem. And for the opposition to lead us out of this problem, we must agree to submit ourselves to the interests of the nation first before the interests of ourselves.”
Speaking to the theme of the event, “Weaponisation Of Poverty As A Means Of Underdevelopment: A Case Study Of Nigeria”, Mr Amaechi said Nigerian leaders did not care about the citizens, but only interested in amassing wealth.
He claimed that there is a conspiracy among the elites to afflict Nigerians with poverty.
“Let me tell you. No Nigerian leader cares for the poor, because they know that Nigerians can do nothing to them once they are in power. When Nigerians protested, the president announced an increase in the price of fuel because they know you cannot do anything.
“It’s a conspiracy of the elite. We don’t care for you; no Nigerian leader cares for you. And the reason is because you all do nothing. You protested, at the end of the protest, the president increased price of fuel because you’ll do nothing”, Mr Amaechi said.

The House of Representatives is seeking a bill to impose a seven-year jail term or a fine of N5 million on anyone guilty of giving or receiving bribes in workplaces across the country.
Sponsored by Paul Nnamchi (Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency) and three others, the bill aims to curb bribery in both public and private workplaces.
‘A Bill for an Act to Provide Effective Deterrence and Consequences for Bribery in Workplaces,’ the bill will be debated when the House resumes on June 17, 2025.
It proposes tough penalties for bribery offences in government agencies, corporations, nongovernmental organisations, and other professional settings.
Under the proposed law, anyone who offers or gives a bribe “in cash, gifts, favours, or other benefits” to influence an official action will be liable, upon conviction, to a fine of not less than N5m or three times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, and/or imprisonment for at least seven years.
The bill also proposes a stiffer penalty of a 10-year jail term and the same financial sanctions for anyone who solicits or receives a bribe.
In the case of public officials, it recommends dismissal from public service and a 15-year ban from holding elective or appointive office if convicted of bribery.
For corporate organisations, the bill proposes that those guilty of bribery will face a fine of not less than N100m, while their directors or officers responsible will be prosecuted and, if convicted, face a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Furthermore, companies convicted of workplace bribery may also lose their operating licences and face a 10-year ban from public procurement contracts.

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has disclosed that his administration does not interfere with local government funds, a decision he said will enable the third tier of government to bring development to the grassroots.
Governor Okpebholo stated this in Benin City, on Saturday, at the presentation of new vehicles to chairmen of local governments, while accusing former Governor Godwin Obaseki for drawing the state backwards by denying council chairmen appropriate regard and recognition, a situation his administration had come to remedy.
He added that the new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) vehicles were being given to the chairpersons of local governments to aid effective service delivery.
“I want to thank God for making today possible as chairmen now have the privilege to drive brand new vehicles in the State. New things are beginning to happen in Edo State under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
”Edo will experience more development even as we compete with Lagos, Abuja, and other States of the Federation. The vehicles commissioned today are not for the private use of the local government chairmen but for the development of the people at the grassroots. I will monitor you to ensure the right thing is done.
”I know how much you are receiving in the councils, and we will measure your success rate if it is commensurate with what you are receiving. My administration has not interfered with your funds and resources,” he said.
Commissioner for Local Government, Community and Chieftancy Affairs, Hon. Lucky Eseigbe, commended the governor for not interfering with local government funds.
Hon. Eseigbe noted that the freedom given to the chairmen had resulted in positive developments across the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
“This is the first time in the history of the State that 2025 models of SUV vehicles are purchased for local government chairmen. These brand new vehicles presented to local government chairmen are to enable them to carry out their responsibilities
“The 18 local government chairmen are developing the State as blocks of classrooms, healthcare centers, roads are being built along other infrastructural development in the council areas,” he said.
Governor Okpebholo was accompanied by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa and other top government officials to commission the vehicles at the State Secretariat in Benin City.