The “Miracle of Dammam” also known as “The Dammam Miracle” was the name given to the result of the quarter-final football match between the Nigerian U-20 football team and the USSR U-20 football team at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia which the Nigerian side went on to win on penalties. The match created a footballing record as Nigeria became the first team to come back from four goals down to equalise and then go on to win a FIFA World Cup match at any level.
Ahead of 2027 general election, ambitious politicians are jostling to belong to one political party or the other they believe would enable them realise their next ambition.
It was against this backdrop that some aggrieved politicians decided to exit their former associations to form a coalition in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Analysts are saying that going by the fierce interest and the array of juggernauts whose sole interest is to clinch the party’s presidential ticket, it would take the Miracle of Dammam for certain members of the coalition to emerge its candidate in 2027.
Former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi has thrown his hat into the ring and is ready to battle for the nation’s number seat with others ahead of the 2027 general election.
Although it is not the first time Amaechi would be showing interest in that regard, he appears more serious this time around to clinch the ADC ticket ahead of others and challenge the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is likely to get the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to actualise his re-election bid.
Amaechi’s ambition to rule the country came crashing in 2023, after Tinubu defeated him in the APC’s presidential primary. Tinubu went on to defeat other presidential candidates to win the presidential poll.
However, Amaechi has never forgiven him and reports had claimed that he was bitter with the manner Tinubu allegedly bullied other aspirants to clinch the ruling party’s ticket.
He has remained one of the hardest critics of Tinubu’s administration since then. Upon resignation from the ruling party, some months ago, Amaechi said he never believed in President Tinubu’s capacity to lead the country, saying his administration was impoverishing Nigerians with his policies, accusing the Tinubu-led administration of corruption.
According to him, “I have never believed that Tinubu is a material to govern the country.”
Read also: Intimidation and corruption mark by-elections, says ADC
Amaechi ready to rescue Nigeria
The former Rivers governor said that he was committed to rescuing the country and simply would not walk away or abandon Nigeria for the sake of those in power.
That to him was the major motivation for joining force with other opposition politicians, to set up a coalition which recently fused with the ADC ahead of 2027.
Speaking recently in confirmation of his presidential bid, Amaechi outlined his focus, while saying that he was confident of defeating President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election if he secures the ticket of the ADC.
Amaechi said he knew Tinubu’s strengths and weaknesses.
“I tell you; I’ve not had an election against Tinubu. I know Tinubu very well. I know his strengths. I know his weaknesses. And I know that if I am allowed to fly the flag of ADC, I will defeat Tinubu for sure.
“I challenge any politician, living or dead, to come forward and say I was part of rigging.
“In fact, all the appointments given to me by APC to join election planning committees, I have refused to participate.
“There was no one I participated in. Why? Because I know what they discuss. I listen to them. I hear them. If I get the ticket, I will reveal those things,” Amaechi said.
He stated that he had never participated in any rigging whatsoever, and will not do it.
“What I promise to do now, going forward, is to stop rigging,” he said.
Amaechi promised to change the constitution from indigeneship to citizenship, saying that he will tender his resignation if corruption does not end in one month in Nigeria.
According to him, “If I become president, I will change the constitution from indigeneship to citizenship.
“If I do not end corruption in Nigeria within one month, I will tender my resignation.
“It enrages me that those very influential among the ruling class visit CBN often to steal money; if they could use all the money they are pocketing to improve security and the economy, Nigeria wouldn’t be in such dire straits
“The worst INEC chairman in the history of Nigeria is Mahmood Yakubu.”
The former governor of Rivers State added that he would not reverse the removal of subsidies if elected president.
Rather, he promised to direct the funds into the pockets of Nigerians.
“I will not reverse the removal of subsidies. I will instead direct the funds into the pockets of Nigerians, not the elite,” he added.
Amaechi should prepare for fierce fight
Although it may be too early to predict where the pendulum would swing, political analysts say the former Rivers governor should prepare for a tough battle in his bid to clinch the presidential ticket of the opposition ADC.
This is perhaps, because of the many strong contenders that would jostle for the ADC’s presidential ticket ahead 2027.
The coalition and ADC political party is seen to contain many power shrines, power brokers with strong financial and political strengths that may upstage his presidential ambition if care and proper planning is not done.
Analyst have predicted that with Atiku Abubakar, who is a regular face in the presidential race and candidate of the PDP in 2023 general election and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in 2023 among others, such as, Nasir El Rufai not ruled out of the race, the fight will be fierce.
Although many may argue that it is still the turn of southern Nigeria to produce the next president in 2027, political watchers worry that Amaechi may lack the clout, the structure and that the region is highly fragmented with disjointed political interests that could work against him.
For many, Amaechi must begin to build alliances from the North to help his presidential bid, which they fear he is not doing.
“Amaechi is a very intelligent and fearless person which I respect, but to become the president involves so much that I don’t know if he is serious about it.
“To me, he is not building alliances and structures enough, especially among the youth. This I say, when you compare him with Obi or Atiku, who he is going to fight the ADC ticket with,” Temitope Musowo, political analyst, said.
How lack of structure, fragmented base, others could limit Amaechi- Analysts
While Amaechi is a major force and factor to watch politically in Nigeria considering his pedigree, analysts say his chances of picking the ADC’s presidential ticket and defeating incumbent are slim.
Analysts predict that Amaechi’s lack of strong support base across Nigeria could limit him, while his chance of emerging president could also be dented by an attempt by the ruling party to capture the South-South region, which is his base.
There are also concerns about the fragmentation within the ADC, with each mobilizing support for their principal. As we know, politics is a game of numbers and his supposed support base is already divided.
The analysts also fear that the South-South region’s lack of a unifying factor, being a pluralistic community with different languages, cultures and diverse origins was a disadvantage to him.
“On his chances of defeating the incumbent, the chance is slim in view of the on-going fiat to turn the politics of the region to a one-party region.
“It’s the desire of the South-South to have a presidential candidate, but the region is highly fragmented with disjointed political interests. Starting from his very state, Rivers, Amaechi has many rivers to cross and strong forces to defeat,” Enoh Usen, a political analyst, told BusinessDay.
Similarly, Patrick Okohue, a political analyst, told BusinessDay, that the Amaechi era has passed, and that he can no longer be anything politically unless he is appointed.
Okohue pointed out that his best chance was 2023, where he missed it by coming second in the APC primary to the incumbent President, noting that since then his relevance has waned.
According to him, where is the political structure of Amaechi today, either in Rivers his home state or anywhere else in the country that he can galvanise to rise to presidency?
“Even if by chance he clinches the presidential ticket of the ADC, which will not even happen, he will only be a walk over for President Tinubu.
“So, instead of Amaechi to be wasting resources to battle for the presidential seat, what he should do is look at the political climate and see which aspirant holds the best potential and back such a candidate, perhaps, if the person wins, he may be able to return as minister.”
Kunle Okunade, political analyst, said that
Amaechi clinching the ADC’s ticket was not certain from the look of things, saying that ADC has political bigwigs like Atiku and Obi, who had tested the presidential competition with good showings.
Okunde argued that aside that, Atiku and Obi have recognised and identifiable fan base that could give the ruling APC a run for their money
“We have the Atikulates and the Obidient Movement. Amaechi clinching the presidential ticket of the ADC may not materialise due to the fact that he does not have an identifiable fan base,” Okunde said.
Amaechi ruled Rivers State for eight years, after assuming office after a Supreme Court ruling removed Celestine Omehia from office in October 2007 after holding office for five months.
The Supreme Court at the time ruled that Omehia had usurped Amaechi’s ticket for the PDP’s gubernatorial ticket and accordingly handed Amaechi the top job.
