Senator Adams Oshiomhole of Edo North has accused Rotimi Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, of previously describing the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as both a thief and an election manipulator.
Oshiomhole made the remarks on Saturday at President Bola Tinubu’s campaign rally in Rivers State, escalating political attacks involving prominent figures from the state.
Claims at the Rivers rally
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Oshiomhole referred to comments by a minister concerning Amaechi, calling the former minister his friend but saying that “among your friends, there are good ones and there are bad ones,” before adding that Amaechi was “a very bad one.”
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He alleged that Amaechi became governor of Rivers State without appearing on the ballot.
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Oshiomhole also revisited the period of Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, when Amaechi served as director-general of the campaign.
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He claimed that Amaechi announced a boycott after concluding that the political forces aligned with Nyesom Wike would defeat him. Oshiomhole said this was why Wike and the coalition’s leader had addressed the issue.
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The senator further alleged that Amaechi had submitted court documents claiming that Atiku did not win the party primary and that the primary had been rigged.
“If we describe Atiku as a rigger, we are repeating Amaechi’s words, and these are court records,” Oshiomhole said.
He then questioned Amaechi’s decision to accept the vice-presidential nomination, asking what Atiku, whom he described as a thief, had offered Amaechi in exchange for becoming his running mate.
Oshiomhole said Amaechi was prepared to reverse his earlier position and seek the vice presidency alongside a candidate he portrayed as having no viable electoral prospects.
