Rotimi Amaechi, vice-presidential candidate of Nigeria’s African Democratic Congress (ADC), tells voters in Edo State that only a “madman” would support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections. Speaking at an ADC town hall meeting in Benin City, Amaechi criticises Tinubu’s economic approach and characterises the removal of the petrol subsidy as reckless rather than courageous. He links the criticism to worsening hardship and the difficulty many Nigerians face affording basic necessities.
Multiple outlets report that Amaechi argues that Tinubu’s supporters are driven by self-interest, and he says Nigeria’s energy and natural resource wealth have not translated into sustainable prosperity. He also calls for policies that boost domestic production rather than increasing costs for consumers and businesses, and says ADC’s plan includes restoring a form of “production subsidy,” attributing the proposal to ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The Presidency and the Edo APC respond by condemning Amaechi’s wording, with The Punch reporting they describe the comment as inappropriate. Other outlets focus primarily on Amaechi’s original attack on Tinubu and the context of the town hall remarks, without detailing the government response.
