The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says he was pushed out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience Jonathan.
Amaechi said this in an interview with Channels Television on Friday, April 17, 2026.
The former Rivers State Governor, now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also said he would support ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar if he emerges as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Amaechi exited the PDP in 2013 after being suspended over alleged anti-party activities. He later became a leading figure in the breakaway faction of the party that joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general election.
In the 2015 poll, Jonathan lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, with Amaechi playing a key role in Buhari’s campaign.
Amaechi himself sought the APC presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 election but finished second in the primary contest won by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on his departure from the PDP, Amaechi alleged that Jonathan and his wife took control of the political structure in Rivers State, leaving him with no option but to leave the party.
He added that he has faced similar challenges in the APC, saying his outspoken stance on issues often leads to attempts to sideline him.
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Amaechi: “I was literally chased out of the PDP. President Goodluck and his wife, took over the political structure in Rivers State and forced me out. The same thing happened in APC.
“I will never keep quiet in the face of injustice. When I speak up, they begin to plan to make me irrelevant.”
Speaking on the 2027 election, Amaechi rejected calls for a consensus candidate in the ADC, insisting that aspirants should compete through party primaries.
He maintained that while he would support Atiku if he wins the party’s ticket, the process must be transparent and democratic.
Amaechi also described Atiku as qualified to contest for the presidency, stressing that the former vice president has every constitutional right to run.
The former minister further dismissed zoning considerations, saying leadership should be determined by competence rather than regional balance.
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