The African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he would resign if Nigerians do not begin to experience positive changes within one year of the party taking over government.\n<\/p>\n
Amaechi made the remarks during an interview on NewsCentral TV on Friday, where he discussed the party\u2019s proposed economic policies ahead of the 2027 general election.\n<\/p>\n
He stated, \u201cI\u2019m sure the president knows my character, the presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) knows my character, that if I\u2019m not performing, I may likely leave government.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
When asked again whether he would resign as vice-president if he failed to perform under an Atiku-Amaechi administration, Amaechi replied, \u201cOf course. I\u2019m not joking.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also expressed confidence that an Atiku-led government would earn Nigerians\u2019 support within its first year in office.\n<\/p>\n
Amaechi said he believed Nigerians would appreciate Atiku\u2019s leadership and regret not voting for him earlier.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the way the situation is and the way I know Atiku, our first year in office, he will be hailed as a hero,\u201d Amaechi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAtiku will be hailed as a hero. Nigerians will regret not voting for him earlier,\u201d he added.\n<\/p>\n
The former Rivers State governor said an ADC-led government would introduce a production subsidy aimed at reducing the cost of petrol by making crude oil available to local refiners below the international market price.\n<\/p>\n
He explained that refiners benefiting from the arrangement would be required to reflect the savings in their pump prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re introducing is what we\u2019ll call a production subsidy.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t bring down the price, because the subsidy is aimed at bringing down the price, if you don\u2019t do that, then you don\u2019t get the subsidy.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cYou either get the subsidy and bring down the price, or you buy at the international market rate,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
Amaechi said the proposed arrangement would ensure that government support to local refiners translated into lower prices for consumers rather than merely increasing the profit margins of the companies.<\/p>\n
On agriculture, he said the party would review existing policies, encourage Nigerian farmers and reduce the country\u2019s dependence on imported food.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must review the agricultural policy,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must encourage Nigerian farmers. We will not be importing food.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
He argued that increased investment in agriculture would create employment opportunities, generate wealth and help address insecurity.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAgriculture will create wealth, will create employment. Employment will reduce insecurity,\u201d he added.\n<\/p>\n
The ADC vice-presidential candidate also gave an indication of the level of accountability he said Nigerians should expect from the party if elected.\n<\/p>\n
He said he would resign if the country failed to show signs of improvement within one year of an ADC administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Nigeria does not begin to change, one year after we have come to office, come to me, I will resign,\u201d he said in an earlier interview.\n<\/p>\n
Amaechi clarified that he was not promising that every problem facing the country would be solved within 12 months, but insisted that Nigerians should begin to feel a positive difference.\n<\/p>\n
Amaechi also said the ADC would continue its political activities and campaign ahead of the 2027 general election despite the court ruling affecting the party\u2019s leadership.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not stopping,\u201d he said, insisting that the party would continue with its plans while pursuing the legal process.\n<\/p>\n
Recall that the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress followed the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, and the emergence of former Senate President David Mark as head of the party\u2019s caretaker leadership.\n<\/p>\n
The transition was challenged by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East, who argued that he was constitutionally entitled to succeed Nwosu.\n<\/p>\n