Posted by Chinenye on Wed 05th Aug, 2026 - tori.ng
The political rivalry ahead of the 2027 election is heating up as Rotimi Amaechi responds to President Bola Tinubu's bold remarks about the next presidential race.
(Rotimi Amaechi. Photo by Politics Nigeria)
The vice presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 election, Rotimi Amaechi, has reacted to President Bola Tinubu's recent comments that anyone hoping to remove him from office should be prepared to "wrestle" him to the end.
Amaechi spoke during an interview on a television programme, responding to the controversy trailing remarks made by the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan.
According to an online news platform, members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria had met with President Tinubu at the State House on Tuesday last week.
During the meeting, Tinubu reaffirmed his intention to seek re-election in 2027, saying he would not make things easy for his opponents and insisting that politics was a level playing field where everyone had equal opportunity.
He was quoted as saying, "I asked for this job. I'm in it. Those who will take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and it's equal opportunity."
He also defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as neutral, and added that he wouldn't hand his opponents a "red carpet" or give them room to tie him down, insisting instead that "we wrestle each other to the finishing point."
Reacting, Amaechi said he was unbothered by the President's remarks and maintained that the opposition would confront him at the polls.
He said the President could continue telling the public he intended to win the election "at all costs" until both sides met on the field, adding that whatever approach Tinubu chose to take there, the opposition would respond in kind.
He further stated that he wasn't concerned about whether the President intended to "wrestle" or not, stressing that the two camps would meet at the polls and that Nigeria needed to be rescued.
Amaechi also accused the President and his aides of disparaging his Christian faith and the Catholic Church over their reaction to Cardinal Onaiyekan's comments following the bishops' meeting with Tinubu, describing their conduct as an insult to his faith and to the Church.
The former Rivers State governor's remarks come in the wake of Cardinal Onaiyekan's interview, which drew strong reactions from the President's supporters and Presidency officials.
Following the bishops' meeting with the President, Onaiyekan had said Tinubu appeared determined to win the 2027 election "by all means," adding that the President disagreed with the bishops' assessment of the country's economic situation, insisting instead that things were improving despite the hardship many Nigerians continue to face.
The Cardinal said the President's reaction suggested he was not being given an accurate picture of the situation in the country, noting that Tinubu appeared displeased with the bishops' observations and pushed back against their concerns, maintaining that the economy was getting better.
He was quoted as saying he was not surprised that the President did not look pleased during the meeting, noting that neither did his colleagues present, and that they understood the bishops' message differed from the kind of feedback the President was used to receiving.