Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has said President Bola Tinubu can only be removed from Aso Rock in 2027 if Nigerians decide to take their fate into their own hands.

Amaechi was speaking at the formal launch of the 2025 Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey Report by the Africa Polling Institute in Abuja on Thursday.

He said, “The only way you can stop Tinubu from being the president of Nigeria in 2027 is to run an election of Nigerians versus the bandits.

“If you think you will just sit down and do that, may God be with you.”

The former Governor of Rivers State also criticised the citizens for grumbling in private.

In Amaechi’s words, “they know you are not happy. But you are helpless not because the elites made you helpless, you made yourself helpless.”

Amaechi, who resigned from the All Progressives Congress, APC, earlier this week, was present at an event where the opposition coalition formally adopted the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Nigerian government, through the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, has announced the sale of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, for N100 billion.

Gbenga Alake, Managing Director of AMCON, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday.

He noted that AMCON would soon hand over the power firm to the rightful bidder.

He said, “Today, I announce to you that Ibadan DisCo has been sold. When we came in, it had already been sold. It was sold for how much?”

“We got in and said, ‘No, it cannot be. We said they should go and submit a new offer and that we were not going to sell for that.

“At the end of the day, we got almost double of what Ibadan DisCos was going to be sold for.”

Alake, however, did not disclose the name of the company that acquired IBEDC.

Recall that in January 2022, AMCON took over Ibadan DisCo following a judgment by a Federal High Court on September 8, 2021, over default in the Loan Service Agreement.

Activist, Maduabuchi Idam, has called the attention of the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru to the continued killings of defenseless, innocent indigenes of Amasiri community by neighbouring communities.

Idam urged the governor to defend residents of Amasiri community from sponsored militias emanating from Edda communities.

He disclosed that attacks from Amasiri has led to the death of several people in the Amasiri area.

In an open letter addressed to Nwifuru, the activist lawyer urged the governor to ensure the establishment of boundary identification by the state.

He appealed to the governor to order the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the attacks.

The letter reads, “I write as a concerned vulnerable citizen of Amasiri, Afikpo LGA of Ebonyi State, to again inform Your Excellency that the attacks on Amasiri communities have not only been unabated, but other neighbouring communities have joined in the onslaught against Amasiri and her people, simply to subjugate them and annex their ancestral land.

“In regretful reflection, I seek to quickly set out details of few remarkable recent attacks on various communities in Amasiri, sponsored or carried out by Edda Communities, for Your Excellency’s record and possible action:

“On the 19th day of June 2025, one Charles Chukwu from Amauzu Ezeke in Amasiri, a retired Senior Warrant Officer of the Nigerian Army and his wife Beatrice Uche Charles Chukwu together with one Mrs. Mary Okpara–Native of Ohaechara in Amasi, who had accompanied the retired officer and his wife to fetch cassava stem at their farm—were abducted in the farm by armed group of Edda persons who have formed themselves into a militia with the sole aim to supplant Amasiri and her people.

“Your Excellency, the whereabout of these innocent citizens remains unknown, despite the incident being reported at the police and not even a suspect has been arrested for questioning till date.

“Not long thereafter, the Edda murderous Militia struck again at Ozaraokangwu in Amasiri and killed one Mr. Sampson Okpara, a teacher in Ozaraokangwu Primary School, Amasiri, who hails from Agbo-ogo Ihie Amasiri. The incident has sadly received similar negligent attention by the authorities just as the previous one.

“Prior to the above mentioned regretfully murderous attacks, there was an attack on the 17th of May 2025 by the Edda Militia on defenceless people of Amasiri who had gone to parcel their rice Paddies at Ihie-enyi Ozara Ohaechara in Amasiri, the Edda militia were seen firing directly at them. Many sustained bullet wounds while a few others escaped unhurt. The case was as usual reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Afikpo and was nonchalantly attended to.

“Your Excellency, farm lands in Amasiri are now deserted as indigenes are brazenly abducted in their farms in daylight by armed militia who proudly identify as Edda mercenaries fashioned only against Amasiri and her people.

“Very disturbing is that Okigwe–Afikpo–highways, Abakaliki–Amasiri– roads and other interconnecting roads to Amasiri are now impassable by anyone who bears Amasiri identity, simply because these neighbouring communities have declared a manhunt of commuters of Amasiri descent along these roads.

“Very intriguing, is that Amasiri communities have remained calm, peaceful and composed even in the face of the growing barrage of unprovoked daily attacks, abduction and Killings of their loved ones.

“Alas, Your Excellency’s seeming misinformed uncomplimentary remarks towards Amasiri communities may have inflamed the onslaught, when during the supposed ‘Peace Meeting’ convened on the 5th day of May 2025 at Your Excellency’s behest and contrary to preaching peace, Your Excellency opted for veiled expression which saw him announce his resentment against Amasiri communities before the attendees of the meeting.

“Your Excellency in that supposed ‘Peace Meeting’, ignored the subject matter and descended stiffly on Amasiri Communities for not voting him in 2023 election, conveying the impression that aggressors who voted him was unlikely to do wrong. Sadly, the effect of that message has birthed the present brazen onslaught against the once most peaceful community in Nigeria.

“Your Excellency proceeded to conclude the meeting with a note of threat stating in fierce terms that he was ‘prepared to invade Amasiri communities’ should they retaliate any attack against their aggressors. Curiously, Your Excellency further directed afterwards the Ndukwe (Amasiri) Community to withdraw the case which it had filed before the State High Court seeking determination of the ownership of title to the landed areas.

“In palpable anxiety, I write in tears, pain and sorrow to inform Your Excellency that your disposition towards the onslaught against Amasiri communities has conveyed a tacit or express endorsement to these inhuman action. Today, other neighbouring communities such as Akpoha and Ibii have also resumed their age-long suspended quest to lay claim across a plausible geographic territory inside Amasiri community simply because the body language of the Governor appears to permit hate against Amasiri and her people.

“Your Excellency sir, Amasiri indigenes are now treated as prey which are randomly and freely attacked unprovoked, they are abducted and slaughtered in droves, with their properties burnt in daylight in a coordinated style of attacks seemingly aided sometimes by military personnel whose patronage has been retained by these aggressors, and every complaint to the Police against this matter have been treated with less importance.

“As instructed by Your Excellency, may I report that the lawsuit instituted against Edda communities over the subject matter have been withdrawn in obedience to Your Excellency’s directive and contrary to the collective will of the communities, just as a mark of submission to your authority.

“Your Excellency sir, I am aware that litany of petitions, radio broadcasts and publications over the attacks, arson and killings which have become increasingly concerning, have been ignored or treated with levity by the government of Your Excellency. However, l relentlessly persist to crave your indulgence through this medium as I urge you to rise and committedly step into this matter to prevent a further carnage against defenceless citizens.

“Your Excellency is urged by this letter to graciously make the following pronouncements:
“Order the release of every Amasiri indigene in Edda Captivity.

“Order the fast track of the ongoing boundary identification by the state and then resolve the matter peacefully.

“The immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the attacks.

“To issue a state broadcast that will send a signal that Amasiri community shall henceforth enjoy equal Security and treatment as other communities in Ebonyi State and discourage the attacks on the communities.

“The Governor of Ebonyi State and the National Security Adviser are by this letter also notified of a disturbing, sinister plan by these aggressors to carry out a massacre against the already traumatized, vulnerable and defenceless communities in Amasiri, in a major attempt to subdue and dominate the occupants of the targeted landed areas.

“A Stitch in Time Will Save Nine.”