By Jane Okafor, Abuja
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that Nigerian leaders and elite class are not the problem of Nigeria.
On the contrary, Amaechi identified the “followers” as the problem of the country, stressing that Nigerians do not demand accountability or ask questions regarding stewardship of their leaders.
Amaechi spoke during a public lecture held in Abuja on Saturday to commemorate his 60th birthday anniversary.
The event, themed “Weaponisation of Poverty,” had in attendance the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, Bayelsa State governor Douye Diri, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, among other eminent Nigerians.
The former minister faulted the perception that Nigeria’s problems emanated from its leaders and elites, instead he laid the blame at the feet of the mass followers.
He said, “Nigerian leaders and elites are not the problem of Nigeria; the problem of Nigeria is the followers.
“We say Nigeria is a capitalist country, but capitalists are those who invest in production. However, Nigeria does not produce anything, we just want to feast on the revenue gotten from crude oil.”
He lamented the political culture of voting along religious and ethnic lines, arguing that such tendencies have contributed significantly to Nigeria’s stunted growth and development.
“Nigeria is where it is today because many Nigerians have been voting on a religious and ethnic basis.
“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,” Amaechi said.
He recalled a moment of disappointment during his tenure as Minister of Transportation, citing the case of a subordinate that disappointed him.
He said, “I was ashamed of one of my appointees when I was the Minister of Transport. I appointed her to improve and turn things around. Unfortunately, she was more interested in speaking Hausa/Fulani to the President.”
The two – term Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly and two – term governor (2007 to May 2015) also revealed why he did not support or vote for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, citing concerns over leadership capacity.
Amaechi said, “I met President Tinubu in Yola and I told him I will not work for you and I will not vote for you. I told him like that. People have been saying I do not work for the APC or PDP, that is because I was convinced that there was an issue of capacity.”
