By Daniel Edu
Former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, explained why he has chosen not to speak on Nigeria’s political issues. Speaking at The Niche annual lecture in Lagos, where he was the guest speaker, Amaechi expressed his concern about Nigerians’ apparent lack of readiness for good governance and the absence of a strong demand for it.
Amaechi criticized the docile nature of Nigerians, noting that they continue to vote for politicians with questionable characters and academic records, despite their knowledge of the issues. He pointed out that Nigerian politicians rarely provide evidence of their academic qualifications or credentials, yet citizens continue to vote for them.
He questioned the need for him to speak out when, in his view, there is nothing new to say, and when Nigerians seem complacent and unresponsive to the state of governance. Amaechi cited the example that even if someone committed a serious crime, people would likely do nothing, adding that Nigerians tend to believe and vote for politicians based on their own preferences and biases.
Amaechi’s remarks highlight a sense of disillusionment and frustration with the political climate in Nigeria and the challenges of driving change and accountability.
