Amaechi claims Obasanjo threatened arrest, forced him to flee to Ghana during Rivers gov bid

ADC presidential running mate Rotimi Amaechi has revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo threatened him with arrest while attempting to block his path to becoming Rivers State governor, forcing Amaechi to flee to Ghana where he fought the legal battle until a court declared him the rightful PDP candidate.

In a video posted on X today, Amaechi stated he is "the first and only Nigerian that the court pronounced as governor without proper election." According to his account, the PDP won the election but the court had ruled he was the party's legitimate candidate by law—yet he never assumed office. He did not specify which election cycle this occurred, though his first governorship tenure began in 2007 after a protracted legal dispute.

Amaechi framed the revelation as a call for youth leadership: "There are more youths than elders, so the youths can turn it—the solution is in your hands." He cited student-led movements in Serbia and Albania that ousted entrenched leaders, urging Nigerian youths to occupy ministerial and gubernatorial positions rather than remain passive.

The allegation against Obasanjo—a dominant figure in Nigerian politics for decades—is significant if verified. It suggests direct presidential interference in a state-level electoral process and raises questions about judicial independence during that period. Obasanjo's office has not responded.

For voters assessing political leadership ahead of 2027, this claim adds context to Amaechi's narrative of resilience against federal power. It also underscores a recurring theme: courts delivering judgments that political actors ignore. What institutional safeguards would prevent a sitting president from using state apparatus to override a state's electoral outcome?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/11/03/how-obasanjos-threat-made-me-run-to-ghana-i-fought-back-amaechi/