Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has praised former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for his refusal to step down for President Bola Tinubu during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries in 2022. Soyinka made the remarks in Abuja on Saturday at an event marking Amaechi’s 60th birthday.
Soyinka described Amaechi’s decision to remain in the race as a rare display of courage and principle in Nigerian politics. “The main reason why I had to be here today is that I admire Rotimi Amaechi’s fighting spirit,” he said. “I watched the APC primary live from Abu Dhabi. While others were conceding, Amaechi stood his ground. That is what democracy is about.”
The playwright said the moment reminded him of Tinubu’s own political defiance during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, particularly during the controversy over a possible third term. “He [Tinubu] was the last man standing then. Amaechi gave him a taste of that same medicine,” Soyinka added.
Also speaking at the event, former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Rtd), commended President Tinubu’s approach to economic reforms. He said the administration’s policies represent a bold and necessary departure from the strategies of past governments, which he argued failed to tackle poverty and underdevelopment.
“These radical measures are a decisive shift from the gradual suffering of the past,” Buratai said. “They reflect a willingness to confront our problems head-on.”
Buratai criticized earlier economic programs such as the Structural Adjustment Programme introduced by General Ibrahim Babangida and the fuel subsidy regimes maintained under several administrations including those of Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari. He argued that those policies did little to reduce poverty or improve national stability.
The retired general acknowledged public concerns over the harsh impact of some recent reforms, especially regarding poverty and insecurity, but called for patience. “I believe the second half of the Tinubu administration may yield more tangible results,” he said.
Buratai also paid tribute to Amaechi’s leadership, describing him as a politician deeply committed to national security and political development. He noted their long-standing relationship dating back to Amaechi’s tenure as governor of Rivers State in 2011.
The event was attended by political figures, security experts, and members of the Nigerian elite, who all commended Amaechi’s role in national affairs and his enduring influence on Nigeria’s political landscape.
