Former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi on Wednesday extended an olive branch to President Bola Tinubu, declaring that he and other seasoned former governors stand ready to assist the administration in tackling Nigeria’s spiralling insecurity — provided the government formally requests their input.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja after a private meetings with stakeholders, the ex-Rivers State governor, who served two terms under Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, said the country’s security architecture requires “urgent recalibration” and that experienced hands are being sidelined.
“We governed states, we faced similar challenges, and we know what works,” Amaechi stated. “If President Tinubu calls us and says ‘come and help us solve this problem,’ we are prepared to roll up our sleeves and contribute ideas and solutions. But the invitation has to come from him.”
He continued: “This is not about politics or 2027; it is about saving Nigeria. Bandits are operating like a parallel government in many places. We cannot continue to manage failure and expect different results.”
Amaechi’s remarks follow a bloody fortnight that saw 25 schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi, worshippers murdered in a Kwara church, and multiple attacks in Plateau and Benue. The former minister, once a key APC figure who finished second in the party’s 2023 presidential primary, has grown increasingly critical of the Tinubu government’s handling of security and the economy.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga declined to comment directly but noted that “Mr President welcomes constructive ideas from all patriotic Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation.”
