Former Rivers State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has challenged Nigerians to judge political candidates by their performance and track record rather than ethnicity, region or personal affiliations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Monday during a panel session at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2026 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Amaechi declared that Nigerians should not vote for ADC candidates if they fail to demonstrate the capacity to deliver.
“ADC provides a different kind of leadership completely. If we can’t perform, don’t vote for us,” he said.
Amaechi urged voters to scrutinise the records of candidates and assess what they had achieved in previous public offices before deciding who to support.
“A coalition should be based on performance,” he said, adding that voters should not support candidates merely because they share the same ethnic or regional background.
The former minister also acknowledged the difficulty opposition parties face in forming a united political front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), blaming the challenge largely on the personal ambitions of political actors.
According to him, although a coalition is possible, many politicians are unwilling to sacrifice their individual ambitions for a common objective.
“There are very few politicians who are in love with Nigeria. What the politicians are doing is to just come in and milk the country dry,” Amaechi alleged.
Representing ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar at the conference, Amaechi also defended his record as Rivers State governor, citing projects executed during his tenure as evidence of his performance.
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