Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said he and Lamido would not have tolerated the current state of affairs in Nigeria if they were still serving as governors.
Amaechi, who chaired the Nigeria Governors Forum during Lamido’s second tenure as Jigawa governor, said their era was marked by bold opposition and a commitment to holding the federal government accountable.
Amaechi, who is also a former Minister of Transportation, spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the public presentation of Lamido’s autobiography, Being True to Myself.
He said: “I asked you (Lamido) this morning, what is going on currently in the country, in Nigerian politics — would it have happened when we were governors? You said no. And the answer is no.”
Amaechi added: “We would have confronted the government, confronted the president. That’s how radical you were. That’s how our Governors Forum operated. That’s how determined we were to change things.”
He reflected on his political relationship with Lamido, noting that although they were allies in government, their paths diverged over strategy in opposing then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We were quite good friends in government. We had our bad times when we disagreed. I made the mistake of assuming he was as radical as I was. So, he was one of the governors I clung to when it came to radical decisions.
“The last one before we broke ranks was when we all agreed to go against President Jonathan. We formed a committee of governors and others. At the end of the day, he went to find a new party, the SDP. We said, ‘If we go to the SDP, we will lose the election. Let’s hang on to this one called the APC.’ He disagreed and left us. That’s where we parted ways.”
Tinubu lauds author, reaffirms commitment to inclusion
In his remarks delivered by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, President Tinubu reiterated his belief in inclusive democracy, where opposition is not treated as hostility but as part of a healthy contest of ideas.
“President welcomes constructive criticism at all times, in the spirit of freedom of speech and democratic engagement, but he will also never allow himself to be distracted from doing what is right for Nigeria.
“Every citizen, regardless of party affiliation, has a seat at the table of national discourse,” he added.
He described Being True to Myself as a valuable addition to Nigeria’s political literature and a testament to Lamido’s political journey.
“This is not merely the unveiling of a book; it is the celebration of a life defined by courage, consistency, and commitment to democratic ideals,” he said.
Also speaking, former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, represented by the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, commended Lamido for his introspection and honesty in recounting his life journey.
Jega said the book traced Lamido’s formative years, career, and lessons drawn from his public and private life.
“It adds remarkable value to our understanding not only of his background but also the broader trials and complexities of Nigerian politics and governance,” Jega said. (Daily trust)
