RismadarVoice Reporters
October 4, 2026
The All Progressives Congress has criticised African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi over his claim that rising costs made it difficult for him to afford medication for his late mother.
In a statement on Sunday, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka questioned Amaechi’s account of his financial difficulties after decades in public office and accused the former Rivers State governor of being dependent on political office.
Morka highlighted Amaechi’s political career, which included serving as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation.
The APC spokesman also linked his criticism to Amaechi’s current bid for the vice presidency ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that the presidency should not be regarded as a source of personal financial support.
The party’s statement followed comments by Amaechi during a television interview on Friday in which he blamed the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration for worsening the cost of living and making medicines more difficult to afford.
Amaechi said the rising cost of medication had affected his ability to provide drugs for his mother before her death.
He went further by alleging that Tinubu’s policies contributed to his mother’s death, citing the financial pressure associated with purchasing medication.
The claim represents Amaechi’s assessment of the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death and does not, by itself, establish a medical causal link between government policy and her death.
Responding, the APC questioned how Amaechi could have occupied senior public positions for decades and subsequently claim difficulty meeting his family’s medical expenses after leaving government.
Morka accused the former minister of seeking a return to government through the ADC’s 2027 presidential ticket and rejected his criticism of the Tinubu administration.
Despite its criticism, the APC expressed condolences over the death of Amaechi’s mother, Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, who died in July at the age of 89.
Amaechi has emerged as a prominent critic of the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 election, particularly over the cost of living and the economic impact of government reforms.
The Tinubu administration, however, has repeatedly defended its economic policies as necessary reforms intended to address structural problems in the Nigerian economy.
