Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has claimed that Nigerians are missing former President Muhammadu Buhari because, according to him, living conditions were better under the previous administration than they are today.
Amaechi made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, November 10, challenging Nigerians to compare their economic circumstances under Buhari with the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He cited the exchange rate, petrol prices and alleged corruption as indicators of what he described as the difference between the two administrations.
Amaechi recalled Buhari’s prediction that Nigerians would eventually call for his return, arguing that the current economic situation had made the former president’s administration more appealing to some citizens.
“I always like to quote the former president, Buhari. He will say, ‘People will call me back.’ Nigerians will say, ‘We miss former President Buhari’; are they not saying that now?
“The reason why they are saying that is: compare your life when President Buhari was alive and was the president of Nigeria, and your life now; which one will you choose?” he said.
The former minister further claimed that the dollar exchanged for about N600 when the Buhari administration left office, while petrol sold for less than N300 per litre.
He also questioned whether allegations of corruption under Buhari could be compared with what he alleged was happening under the current administration.
“By the time we left office, dollar was at 600, by the time we left office, fuel was below 300. The stealing in Buhari’s government, if there was stealing in Buhari’s government, can you compare it to what is going on now? What is going on now is what I call ‘Alibaba and the 40 thieves’,” Amaechi said.
However, when asked whether some of the economic challenges facing the Tinubu administration could be traced to decisions taken under Buhari, including the former president’s refusal to remove the petrol subsidy, Amaechi dismissed the suggestion.
“Name one,” he replied.
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