Ayekooto Akindele, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu, has come forward with what he believes are the two key reasons why former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, may still harbor resentment towards his former principal, Muhammadu Buhari. Akindele, who has been vocal on social media, took to his official Facebook page to outline these grievances, suggesting that Amaechi’s bitterness stems from the way he was treated by Buhari during crucial moments of his political journey.
The first of Akindele’s assertions relates to Amaechi’s presidential ambition during the APC primaries in 2022. Despite Amaechi’s significant political and infrastructural contributions, including projects in Buhari’s home state of Daura, he was not endorsed by Buhari for the party’s presidential ticket. Akindele highlighted that Amaechi went to great lengths to secure Buhari’s backing. He even took the step of procuring a chieftaincy title in Daura and allocated a Transportation University in the region, demonstrating his commitment to the president’s home state. However, despite these efforts, Buhari did not use his influence to ensure Amaechi’s candidacy within the APC. Akindele emphasized this oversight, calling it “unforgivable” and suggested that this lack of endorsement from Buhari deeply hurt Amaechi.
The second reason, according to Akindele, revolves around Amaechi’s attempt to reenter the government after his defeat in the 2022 APC presidential race. After resigning from his ministerial position to contest for the presidential ticket, Amaechi sought to return to a ministerial role following his unsuccessful bid. Akindele claimed that Amaechi made numerous attempts to persuade Buhari to allow him to rejoin the cabinet but was met with what he perceived as indifference. Akindele described Buhari’s response as dismissive, noting that despite Amaechi’s request, Buhari’s reply seemed to indicate that he was uninterested, almost as though he hadn’t even processed the request. “Buhari was just saying MININI as he didn’t understand what he was saying,” Akindele remarked.
This tension between Amaechi and Buhari has played out publicly in the wake of Amaechi’s recent comments about former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Amaechi, in a recent event, described Obasanjo as the last Nigerian leader to successfully create a thriving middle class, citing Obasanjo’s economic policies that generated jobs and contributed to the growth of the middle class. This statement further fuels speculation that Amaechi’s political views are more aligned with other past Nigerian leaders who may have supported policies he values more than Buhari’s.
Amaechi’s disappointment with Buhari appears to go beyond political strategy and stems from a sense of personal betrayal. As a key figure in Buhari’s government and someone who had invested considerable political capital in supporting Buhari’s initiatives, Amaechi may have expected more reciprocity in return for his loyalty. His perceived marginalization during the 2022 presidential election and his failed efforts to return to the cabinet have left a bitter taste, leading to the notion that he may never fully reconcile with his former principal.
These revelations have sparked renewed discussions within Nigerian political circles about the dynamics between key figures in the APC and the broader political implications of their personal relationships. Amaechi’s grievances highlight the complex nature of political alliances and the deep-seated emotions that can arise when expectations of loyalty and political reciprocity are not met.
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