Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transport in the Muhammadu Buhari-led regime, has berated Nigerians for being docile and tolerant of the malfeasance of politicians, choosing to die by suicide rather than confronting thieving and certificates forging politicians.

Mr Amaechi made this statement while speaking as a guest at the 2023 TheNiche Annual Lecture held at Lagos on Friday.

“What is new to say? Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? Tell me one politician who says he is not a thief. Tell me one. Which politician told you he went to the university? Which politician told you he served in NYSC? Which politician told you he has a certificate? Nigerians know and still vote for them. So what’s your problem? So, I say why should I speak when there is nothing new?,” Mr Amaechi said.

“Instead of Nigerians facing their problems, they are committing suicide. I’m praying for you so that you will continue to commit suicide so that one day I’ll wake up and all of you have died. I can now enjoy the benefits of your death by speaking those things.

“Nigerians chose who to believe and not to believe. They chose who to vote and who not to vote. Even if you go to a Nigerian man’s house and kill his mother, the father will continue his life. Nothing borders you. Nothing. So why do I waste my time?

“What other people resist in Ghana and Kenya, Nigerians say no worry no be four years, him go go. The man wins the second term by crook or magic, they’ll say no be eight years. No be Goodluck and Buhari don go so? Him go soon go.

“Another person will come and repeat the same thing. You will be saying that until the day God will come for those of us who are Christians. So I’ve chosen to be like you; say nothing, hear nothing and do nothing,” Mr Amaechi said.

Contrary to Mr Amaechi’s claims that Nigerians are docile, Nigerians for many years stood up against various military regimes to restore democracy. Most recently in 2020, Nigerian youth pushed #EndSARS, a nationwide protest against prolonged years of extortion, extrajudicial killings, and brutality perpetrated by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force.

But the brutal Buhari regime in which Mr Amaechi served, mobilised thugs to attack protesters while Nigerian soldiers opened live rounds on protesters at the Lekki Tollgate, killing about 10 and injuring scores. Mr Amaechi kept quiet and said nothing about the development.

The former minister’s cryptic charge comes amid the certificate forgery scandal of President Bola Tinubu. However, the Supreme Court on Thursday, affirmed Mr Tinubu’s electoral victory, rejecting fresh evidence on the president’s certificate forgery obtained from Chicago State University by opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar.