According to a report by Nigerian Tribune, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has urged Nigerians to vote President Bola Tinubu out of office at the next election, describing the move as the most appropriate decision citizens can make in the interest of the country.
Amaechi made the call while speaking in a video that recently surfaced online, where he addressed Nigerians on the need to make deliberate choices at the polls.
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, also advised Nigerian voters to reject any form of financial inducement offered to them during elections.
He stressed the importance of resisting attempts by politicians to influence electoral decisions through the distribution of money or other material benefits, urging citizens to focus on the long-term interests of the country when deciding who to support.
According to the former minister, politicians seeking electoral support could turn to vote-buying as a strategy to secure the backing of voters.
He alleged that rather than concentrating on finding lasting solutions to the challenges confronting Nigerians, some politicians would prefer to use material incentives to persuade people to vote for them during election periods.
He maintained that citizens should not allow themselves to be influenced by temporary gifts or financial offers from politicians who may approach them during campaigns and elections.
Amaechi’s position was that voters should remain focused on the broader issues affecting the country and should exercise their constitutional right to vote based on their assessment of the performance and priorities of political leaders.
The former transportation minister further suggested that politicians might attempt to use food items as part of their efforts to win over voters.
He specifically referred to the possibility of distributing rice, while also making a statement about the Igbo people and their ability to withstand difficult circumstances without relying on such inducements.
Amaechi’s remarks came amid his appeal to Nigerians to make their votes count and to reject attempts to influence their choices at the ballot box through gifts or cash.
He reiterated his position that voting out the incumbent administration would be the best course of action for the country, while warning that politicians could focus on electoral inducements rather than directly addressing the needs of the people.
“They, if they bring rice… You know, I tell people I said, the Igbos are not hungry, are you hungry? No. We can never be hungry. So, they will not bring rice. Unfortunately, they will not bring rice,” Amaechi said.
