Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said his supporters operate under strict instructions not to engage in abusive exchanges with political opponents on social media, stressing that the approach is rooted in a commitment to peace.
Amaechi made the remarks on Friday at a town hall meeting of the African Democratic Congress in Lagos.
“My supporters don’t engage in fights on social media. My people don’t fight. Have you seen any Amaechi person fighting on social media? It is between Atiku people and Obi people and Obi people abusing me. We will never reply,” he said.
He explained that the decision not to respond to online attacks was deliberate and not due to an inability to do so.
“It’s not because we don’t know English or we can’t reply. The reason why we don’t reply is that we always want peace,” he added.
The former Rivers State governor questioned whether rival political camps, including supporters of Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, had the electoral strength to sustain their hardline positions.
“The Obidients insist ‘Obi or nothing’, do they have the numbers? The Atiku people say ‘Atiku or nothing’, do they have the numbers?” he asked.
Amaechi warned that such divisions could weaken the opposition’s chances of unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in future elections.
“If you cause this kind of friction, it will be difficult to come together to defeat Tinubu. Focus on defeating Tinubu,” he said.
He further disclosed that his supporters have standing instructions not to attack any political figure, including the President, urging them instead to rely on facts in their engagements.
“Don’t abuse the President. Show the facts,” he said.
Amaechi also challenged Nigerians to assess his performance in public office against that of Obi and Atiku, citing his tenure as governor and minister as evidence of his experience.
“When I came out here, I said compare me to Peter Obi. We were governors at the same time. If he’s a better governor, please choose him,” he said.
“Compare my role as governor and as minister with the role he played as vice president. If he’s a better person, please choose him,” he added, referring to Atiku.
Highlighting his work ethic, Amaechi pointed to his direct supervision of major rail projects, including the Ibadan and Kaduna-Kano lines, as proof of his hands-on leadership style.
He described himself as accessible and connected to ordinary Nigerians, noting that he avoids elitist lifestyles.
Amaechi, however, cautioned that efforts to build opposition unity could be affected by tensions among supporters, warning that continued hostility might hinder collaboration.
He urged opposition members to focus on internal primaries and rally behind eventual candidates to strengthen their chances in future elections.