Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar does not have the electoral strength needed to win a general election in Nigeria, arguing that success at party primaries has not translated into victory at the national level.
Amaechi made the remarks during an interview on Trust TV, where he also stated that he would not step down for any candidate ahead of the presidential primaries.
According to him, Atiku’s long history of contesting for the presidency shows a consistent pattern—winning party nominations but falling short in the general elections. He said this trend raises serious questions about electability beyond party politics.
He stressed that in Nigerian politics, the real test is not just winning within a party but gaining broad acceptance from voters across the country.
“He has been running since 1992. Every time he has won the primaries, he loses the election. It’s about electability & Atiku is not electable,” Amaechi said.
He added that repeated comments about Atiku never losing a primary do not change the bigger picture.
“I listen when they say former Vice President Atiku said he has never failed the primaries before. I hope this will be the first time he fails the primaries. That is not the issue, the issue is that every time he has passed the primaries, he has not won the election,” he added.