The African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has claimed that the number of votes President Bola Tinubu would secure in the 2027 presidential election would be equivalent to the number of mentally ill people in Nigeria.

Mr Amaechi made the remarks during a town hall meeting in Edo State ahead of the upcoming election, claiming that only an insane person would still vote for Mr Tinubu, whose four-year tenure has been marked by economic policies that critics describe as harsh.

“They are going about vote for Tinubu. Only thieves can vote for Tinubu. In fact I read in one of the social media that it is in 2027 that we would know how many mad men we have in Nigeria because only a mad man can vote for Tinubu,” the former Rivers State governor said.

Mr Amaechi further told people in attendance at the meeting that the people of the state would also be classified as ‘mad’ if Mr Tinubu wins in Edo State, saying, “If you are not mad, then Tinubu should not win here”.

The former transport minister had last week blamed the economic hardship under Mr Tinubu, triggered by the subsidy removal policy, for the deaths of many Nigerians, including his mother.

“Where are those funds saved from the removal of subsidy? The purpose of subsidy removal is to better the lives of citizens. But where is the money? I want to feel it. Everybody wants to feel it. I don’t hate Tinubu. He knows I love him. But I disagree with him,” Mr Amaechi said.