In 2015, Bola Tinubu, a key figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), hailed Rotimi Amaechi, then Rivers State Governor, as a pivotal leader in the party’s coalition that ousted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s general elections. Speaking at the launch of *Dynamics of Change: The Amaechi Years* in Lagos, Tinubu described Amaechi as the “general” of the “Common Sense Revolution,” a term he coined to signify the APC’s non-violent push against PDP’s 16-year rule, marked by alleged excesses and mismanagement. Tinubu credited Amaechi’s leadership in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and his defiance against then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, particularly over federation account disputes, as instrumental to the APC’s victory.
The APC, formed in 2013 through a merger of major opposition parties like the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), alongside defectors like Amaechi from the PDP, capitalized on public discontent. Tinubu noted that Amaechi’s courage, especially amidst federal hostility, galvanized the coalition’s strategy, leading to Muhammadu Buhari’s historic win. The event, attended by governors, senators, and civil society leaders, celebrated Amaechi’s infrastructure achievements in Rivers State and his role in fostering federalism.
However, by 2025, the Tinubu-Amaechi alliance has fractured. Amaechi, now with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), resigned from the APC, citing Tinubu’s alleged mismanagement and lack of leadership capacity. This shift underscores the transient nature of Nigerian political alliances, with Amaechi joining a new coalition to challenge Tinubu in 2027, reversing their 2015 camaraderie.
