Former Minister of Transportation Mr Rotimi Amaechi has called Nigerians docile and do not react to anything no matter what the malfeasance exhibited by the political class in the country.
“What is new to say? Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? Tell me one politician who says he is not a thief. Tell me one. Which politician told you he went to the university? Which politician told you he served in NYSC? Which politician told you he has a certificate? Nigerians know and still, vote for them. So what’s your problem? So, I say why should I speak when there is nothing new?.”
The former Rivers State Governor Amaechi made this statement while speaking as a guest at the 2023 TheNiche Annual Lecture held at Lagos on Friday, he disclosed what other countries do not tolerate from their political class, Nigerians tolerate and even support them by voting them into elevated positions.
“Nigerians chose who to believe and not to believe. They chose who to vote and who not to vote. Even if you go to a Nigerian man’s house and kill his mother, the father will continue his life. Nothing borders you. Nothing. So why do I waste my time?
“What other people resist in Ghana and Kenya, Nigerians say no worry no be four years, him go go. The man wins the second term by crook or magic, they’ll say no be eight years. No be Goodluck and Buhari don go so? Him go soon go.
“Another person will come and repeat the same thing. You will be saying that until the day God will come for those of us who are Christians. So I’ve chosen to be like you; say nothing, hear nothing, and do nothing.”
“Instead of Nigerians facing their problems, they are committing suicide. I’m praying for you so that you will continue to commit suicide so that one day I’ll wake up and all of you have died. I can now enjoy the benefits of your death by speaking those things.”
Reacting to the claim that President Bola Tinubu made former President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Amaechi said he was always on the road to Abuja but was shocked when he heard the claim.
‘I will leave my house at 1 am to Abuja to return at 2 am but another person said they made Buhari. Nigerians believed and cheered. My greatest fear is languishing in prison for being innocent and that’s why I’ve refused to talk all these while.”
In October 2020, a nationwide protest against the brutality, extortion, and extra-judicial killing of Nigerians began. At first, it was dismissed by the government led by Muhammadu Buhari but when it got momentum, the political class allegedly infiltrated the protest and attacked Nigerians expressing their legitimate right.
October 20 saw the Nigerian Soldiers fire live bullets at the protesters which killed an unidentified number of people. The #ENDSARS judicial panel admitted that there were killings on that day but the government never acknowledged their fault and failed to take up the recommendation of the panel.
