Vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has alleged that the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration contributed to the death of his mother.
Amaechi made the allegation while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, where he criticised the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms on Nigerians.
The former Rivers State governor and Minister of Transportation said his mother had been in good health before Tinubu assumed office but claimed that rising costs associated with the economic situation later made it difficult for him to afford the medication she needed.
According to Amaechi, the situation became particularly difficult following the removal of the petrol subsidy, a policy introduced by the Tinubu administration as part of its broader economic reforms.
He argued that the subsidy removal was expected to improve living conditions but said the outcome, in his view, had instead placed additional pressure on households.
“The policies Tinubu introduced are killing people. I lost my mother because of the policies. We have lost people. President Tinubu’s policies killed my mother,” Amaechi said.
He added that his mother had been healthy before Tinubu became president but that the rising cost of medication subsequently created difficulties in providing the drugs she required.
“Before Tinubu became President, my mother was healthy. Suddenly, when Tinubu came, it became difficult to buy drugs for my mother. I did the best I could in taking care of my mother,” he said.
Amaechi’s comments came amid continued political disagreement over the effects of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidies and changes to the foreign exchange regime.
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Tinubu has repeatedly defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to address longstanding structural weaknesses in the Nigerian economy. In his Independence Day address on October 1, the President said the reforms had confronted problems that had been allowed to deepen over time.
The President also said Nigeria had moved beyond the most difficult phase of the reforms and was entering a period focused on translating economic gains into lower living costs, jobs and broader prosperity.
Amaechi’s criticism is also part of his wider opposition to the administration ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He was announced as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the ADC platform in June.
The former minister has, in recent days, repeatedly challenged the government over the cost of living, fuel prices and the wider impact of its economic policies.