Buhari promised me APC presidential ticket, told me not to campaign – but I regret listening to him — Amaechi

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has blamed his defeat to President Bola Tinubu in the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary on advice from the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Vanguard, Amaechi disclosed this during an interview on Mainland 98.3FM’s The Situation Room programme in Lagos on Friday.

He said Buhari assured him of the presidential ticket and discouraged him from campaigning.

“The first mistake that I made at that primary was that I listened to President Buhari. He said to me, ‘Don’t campaign. Don’t do anything. I will announce you as my candidate.’

“He told me that. He put it in writing. When I write my book, I’ll put it out.”

Amaechi said his failure to negotiate political agreements allowed Tinubu to secure influential delegates.

He also alleged that religious considerations influenced the primary, particularly among northern delegates.

However, the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate maintained that exploiting religious differences for political advantage could undermine national unity.