Buhari promised me APC presidential ticket in 2022 — Amaechi

Rotimi Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, has claimed his loss in the 2022 All Progressives Congress presidential primary was due to his decision not to campaign or form alliances ahead of the contest as advised by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Amaechi said Buhari had assured him in writing that he would be his preferred candidate, leading him to forgo negotiations with delegates and political allies.

Amaechi suggested that he could have secured the support of governors by promising them positions such as vice-president and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. He further accused Tinubu of exploiting religious sentiments to build alliances, particularly in the North, and alleged that a delegation of Southern Yoruba Muslims had approached governors to support Tinubu on religious grounds.

Amaechi, who had previously been a close ally of Buhari, stated that he would not use religion as a political tool and criticized the approach of appealing to religious identity for political support, claiming it could deepen divisions in the country. Despite his allegations, Amaechi acknowledged that Tinubu's victory paved the way for him to become the APC candidate in the 2023 presidential election, which he subsequently won.