Former Minister of Transportation and ex–Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has explained the reason he attended the recent “Occupy the National Assembly” protest in Abuja alongside his son.
Amaechi told journalists on Tuesday that he brought his son, who is a medical doctor, as a safety measure in case the protest turned violent and participants required urgent medical attention.
According to him, leaders must not remain on the sidelines during critical moments but should physically stand with the people during mass actions and protests. He said his presence at the demonstration was a reflection of that belief.
The former minister urged Nigerians to rise against what he described as attempts to undermine the electoral process, calling on opposition political parties to mobilise and join the protests against the Senate’s position on the Electoral Act amendment.
Amaechi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of resisting the compulsory electronic transmission of election results because of fears it could weaken their electoral chances.
“I strongly believe that opposition parties — PDP, ADC, and others — should be out on the streets protesting this move,” he said.
“If the opposition joins and they accuse us of hijacking the protest, what about the APC? Are they not doing the same? What exactly are they afraid of?”
He further dismissed claims of political dominance by the ruling party, stating that genuine leadership is measured by public approval, not political control. “The only true way to know you have governed well is when the people speak,” he added.
Amaechi insisted that protests would continue, even if Senate President Godswill Akpabio and President Bola Tinubu choose to ignore public demands.
Comparing current economic conditions to the period he served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Amaechi argued that living conditions have deteriorated. He claimed that although subsidy removal was planned during Buhari’s administration, there were clearer strategies in place to cushion its effects on citizens.
He also alleged that corruption has worsened under the current government.
When asked about President Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election, Amaechi declined to give a definitive answer but suggested that victory would be unlikely, stressing that “the will of the people must prevail.”
Meanwhile, PUNCH Online reports that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, joined the protest on Monday, supporting calls for transparent and credible elections.
The protest follows growing controversy surrounding the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly the debate over making real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory.
While many Nigerians have demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be required to transmit results electronically from polling units, the Senate has argued that such a provision should remain optional due to infrastructural and logistical challenges.
Although lawmakers insist that electronic transmission has not been completely removed, protesters maintain that excluding “real-time” transmission opens the door to manipulation and electoral malpractice.