Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he will abolish the federal character principle if elected president in 2027, insisting that all Nigerians must enjoy equal citizenship rights without discrimination.
Amaechi, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, stated this shortly after appearing before the party’s screening committee on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, issues surrounding indigeneship and regional identity would no longer exist under his administration, regardless of whether citizens come from the northern, eastern, western or southern parts of the country.
He argued that the federal character principle only exists because the Nigerian system is fundamentally unfair and fails to provide equal opportunities for citizens across the federation.
Amaechi maintained that every Nigerian should be allowed to function freely without discrimination, stressing that competence and merit should determine employment opportunities and appointments into public institutions.
The former governor of Rivers State also blamed the growing insecurity and criminality across the country on poverty, unemployment and systemic failures within the nation’s socio-economic structure, describing the system as deeply defective.
“The reason people carry guns is because the system is bad. Nigeria has been divided into the rich and the poor,” he stated.
He noted that while wealthy Nigerians are able to send their children to private schools, poor citizens are left with poorly funded public schools that lack adequate educational opportunities and infrastructure.
Amaechi urged Nigerians to assess political leaders based on their performance records rather than ethnic or regional sentiments.
He cited reforms carried out during his tenure as governor of Rivers State, saying his administration improved public education and encouraged a shift from private schools to government-owned schools.
He further stated that his government established healthcare centres across communities and increased the number of employed doctors in Rivers State from 400 to 600.
According to him, his administration also implemented free healthcare services, with the government paying medical institutions directly based on the number of patients treated monthly.
“Every primary healthcare centre established by my administration was staffed with at least one doctor and two nurses for effective service delivery,” he stated.
Amaechi reiterated that Nigerians should judge leaders based on tangible achievements and policies rather than sectional sentiments tied to ethnicity, region or political affiliations.
Responding to reports linking him with vice-presidential ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections, Amaechi dismissed the claims and insisted he was contesting solely for the presidency.
“I don’t want to be vice president. I made myself clear and did not speak in ambiguous terms,” he said.
