Amaechi Says Nigerians Miss Buhari, Claims Life Was Better Under Him

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said Nigerians are beginning to miss the late former President Muhammadu Buhari because life was better during his administration than under the current government of President Bola Tinubu.

Amaechi, who was the Vice Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.

He urged Nigerians to compare their living conditions under Buhari with what they are experiencing under Tinubu, arguing that the country’s economic situation was better before the current administration came into power.

The former minister listed the exchange rate, petrol prices and alleged corruption as some of the areas where he believes the Buhari government performed better.

According to him, Buhari had predicted that Nigerians would eventually remember his administration and wish for his return. Amaechi said the growing expressions of regret among Nigerians showed that the former president’s prediction was becoming a reality.

He maintained that the economic conditions under Buhari were more favourable, pointing out that the dollar exchanged for about N600 when the administration left office, while petrol sold for less than N300 per litre.

Amaechi also questioned the level of corruption under the Tinubu administration, arguing that the allegations of financial misconduct during Buhari’s eight years in office could not be compared with what he claimed was happening under the present government.

The former governor of Rivers State further alleged that several contractors who handled projects under the Ministry of Transportation had been arrested as authorities investigated activities carried out during his time as minister.

He suggested that the investigations were aimed at finding evidence of wrongdoing against him, insisting that he had nothing to hide concerning his time in office.

Speaking about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Amaechi also questioned the reasons behind the decision to embark on the project, alleging that the president had personal interests in its construction.

During the interview, Amaechi was asked whether some of the economic difficulties facing the Tinubu administration could be traced to policies and decisions taken by Buhari, particularly his refusal to remove the petrol subsidy while in office.

However, the ADC chieftain dismissed the suggestion and challenged the interviewer to provide another example of a decision by the former president that contributed to the present challenges.

Amaechi also defended his party’s position on bringing back fuel subsidy if it wins the 2027 presidential election.

He explained that the ADC believed Buhari was right to retain the subsidy, despite the fact that he had personally supported its removal while serving in the former president’s cabinet.

According to him, Buhari had rejected calls to end the subsidy because he believed the decision would not be in the country’s best interest.

Amaechi admitted that he was among those who had advised the former president to remove the policy at the time but said he now agreed with Buhari’s position.

He further disclosed that the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had proposed a different approach to managing fuel subsidy.

Under the proposed arrangement, the party intends to introduce a production-based subsidy that would support businesses refining petroleum products within Nigeria rather than companies importing fuel into the country.

Amaechi explained that companies would only qualify for the subsidy if they produced petroleum products locally.

He said the arrangement would encourage investors to establish more refineries and increase domestic refining capacity, while reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

The ADC chieftain maintained that the proposed policy would provide a better way of supporting local production and managing the cost of fuel if the party takes over power.