Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi has excoriated Nigerians for continuing to exercise their franchise during state and local government elections, accusing them of “suffering and smiling.” Mr Amaechi, a chieftain of the ruling APC, expressed his frustration in an interview aired by ABN TV.

Asked about his views on Rivers political crisis, Mr Amaechi, a former minister of transportation, said, “No comment. I’m not discussing politics.”

But he added, “It is not because I’m a coward. But because I’m angry with the citizens. I’ve said it several times: you can’t see (a) group of people stealing your money, impoverishing you, you can’t buy fuel, you can’t buy anything, and then you are still…”

Citing the recent governorship election in Edo, Mr Amaechi said Nigerians should have boycotted and remonstrated against the hunger and economic crisis plaguing the country by President Bola Tinubu’s harsh economic policies.

“Look at what happened in Edo. Should any politician be campaigning in Edo? People should be angry. There should be protest(s); not protest against anybody but against politicians; that ‘we will not vote; there will be no election in our state’,” Mr Amaechi asserted. “That’s what people should be saying because of the rate of hunger now. If people like us can’t afford diesel, you can imagine what’s happening to others.” 

The APC chieftain added, “Somebody said what this government has achieved is that it has made Nigerians to be strong in the sense that Nigerians now trek. You know walking helps the heart. 

“So people have learnt to walk to their offices. But please don’t put me into politics.”

Nigerians have protested against Mr Tinubu’s harsh economic policies several times across the country.

In August, thousands of Nigerians hit the streets in a 10-day nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance. 

On October 1, during the commemoration of Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary, citizens hit the streets in protest over the country’s unprecedented cost of living crisis.