Former Transportation Minister and prospective Vice-Presidential nominee Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been appointed to head the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign organization of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The decision is part of Abubakar's plans to deliver a reformed presidency if elected in the January 16, 2027 presidential poll.
Amaechi's Role and Experience
According to a reliable source, Amaechi was chosen to steer Atiku's campaigns due to the absence of any state governor in ADC and his experience in a similar position when he delivered the late Muhammadu Buhari in the historic defeat of incumbent Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election. The source, a former ranking Senator and Ambassador, disclosed that part of the propositions to convince Amaechi to accept the VP role included offering him a free hand during the electioneering and in the reformed presidency being designed by the former Vice President.
Need for Presidential Reforms
The source stated that having observed the tenuous relationships between various presidents and their deputies after leaving office in 2007, Atiku believes Nigeria's presidency is due for urgent reforms. He said: "From (President Umaru) Yar'Adua through (Dr. Goodluck) Jonathan and Buhari, the last three years under Bola Tinubu have exposed the imperfections of the Nigeria Presidency. Atiku believes that while the US Presidency assigns clear constitutional roles to the VP, the Nigerian counterpart is made to serve according to the whims of the President. So, in absence of such constitutional stipulations that assign direct responsibilities to the VP, Atiku wants to forge a partnership Presidency with Amaechi taking charge of key functions."
He remarked that the former VP is thinking of planned changes based on his experience during President Obasanjo's second term when cooperation gave way to friction and confrontation. "Atiku wants to turn that sad and sour experience into the benefit of his running mate to ensure that fears and suspicions that give rise to adversarial relationship between the President and vice do not arise. He wants to be that president that acknowledges that the office is one big room with two big doors. This is why he said he wants to show by example how that the VP should not be either a spare tire or a tea-server."
Campaign Organization Structure
The Guardian was also informed that former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who would have been chosen as Amaechi's presidential running mate, will likely serve as the Deputy Director General of the Atiku/Amaechi Presidential Campaign Organisation. "When the VP is officially named this coming week and by the time the campaign organisation would be constituted, Nigerians will see how prepared the former Vice President is to rescue the country and strengthen the foundation for true Presidential system," the source hinted.
A member of the ADC Policy Committee, Dr. Salihu Lukman, had disclosed that the party plans a collegiate system of administration to avoid a winner-takes-all tendency that has been the bane of successive presidencies. Lukman pointed out that some of the policy reviews envisaged by the ADC would ensure that party leadership stands strong as a guide to the executive and legislature.
