Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has cautioned that the recent Federal High Court ruling nullifying the party’s National Working Committee could spark a civil war if not carefully handled.
Amaechi made the warning during an interview on Mainland 98.3FM, shortly after Justice Peter Lifu’s judgment in Abuja, which invalidated the David Mark-led caretaker committee and the process that produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2027 presidential flagbearer. The ruling also nullified Rauf Aregbesola’s appointment as National Secretary and barred INEC from recognising decisions taken at the party’s July 27, 2025 National Executive Committee meeting.
According to Amaechi, the party’s leadership moved swiftly to calm tensions, with himself, the presidential candidate, and the party chairman urging supporters to “lower the tempo.”
He dismissed claims of any internal rift within the ADC, insisting the crisis was engineered by the All Progressives Congress (APC) out of fear. He alleged that the plaintiff, former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East) Nafiu Gombe, had resigned at the same time as former chairman Ralph Nwosu, and pointed to a video showing Gombe handing over to David Mark. Amaechi accused unnamed actors of paying people to go to court and compromise the system.
“Which other party is opposing the APC other than ADC?” he asked, noting that the APC was unsettled by the party’s showing in Sokoto. He argued that with President Bola Tinubu from the South-West, three other presidential candidates from the same zone, and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in the race, the APC’s southern base was under threat. He also noted that Peter Obi would sweep the South-East, while Atiku Abubakar would dominate the 19 northern states.
Reflecting on his 2023 presidential ambition, Amaechi said his only regret was obeying former President Muhammadu Buhari, who advised him not to campaign and promised to announce him as his successor — an instruction he said was put in writing. He insisted he would have won the primaries, having secured the support of governors, but chose to obey his former boss. He accused Tinubu of winning through deal-making and religious politics, a path he vowed never to take.
“The delegation of Southern Muslims went to see the Northern governors and told them that for the sake of the faith, you need to support Tinubu,” he alleged, citing a viral video in which former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai said the same. Amaechi warned that such politics could alienate Nigeria’s 35 million Catholics and cause confusion in the country.
“I wouldn’t do anything at all cost because I want power,” he said.
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