By TheDailyNewsHub News Desk | October 2, 2026
Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying the rising cost of living made it difficult for him to afford medication for his late mother.
Amaechi made the remark on Channels Politics Today, while discussing the effects of the administration’s policies on Nigerians and the pressure on households to meet basic healthcare expenses.
“My mother was alive and healthy before Tinubu’s tenure. His policies made it difficult for me to buy drugs for her,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor’s comments were part of a wider criticism of the government’s handling of the economy, particularly the consequences of fuel subsidy removal and the rising cost of essential goods and services.
Amaechi’s account was personal, but it also highlighted the difficulty many households face in paying for medicines and other healthcare needs amid rising living costs. His assertion about the effect of government policies on his ability to purchase medication, however, represents his personal experience and has not been independently established as a direct measure of the wider impact of the administration’s policies.
The remarks came during a period of increased political debate over the economy ahead of the 2027 general election. Amaechi is the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate and running mate to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
He has repeatedly accused the Tinubu administration of failing to translate its economic reforms into improved living conditions for ordinary Nigerians. In an interview on AIT’s Democracy Today on Wednesday, October 1, Amaechi also argued that the government’s removal of petrol subsidy had not delivered sufficient benefits to citizens.
He questioned the destination of the savings from subsidy removal, arguing that Nigerians continued to experience hardship despite the policy change. He also identified security, education and the economy as areas an ADC administration would prioritise if elected in 2027.
Amaechi’s criticism comes as the cost of medicines and healthcare remains a concern for households already dealing with higher expenses for food, transportation, electricity and other necessities. For families managing long-term illnesses, the price of prescribed medicines can add significantly to the cost of treatment.
The former minister’s reference to his mother was retrospective. His mother, Mrs Mary Amaechi, died in July 2026 at the age of 89. She was buried on September 5 in her hometown of Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, at a ceremony attended by political leaders, including Atiku Abubakar and former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
TheDailyNewsHub previously reported on Amaechi’s challenge to President Tinubu over petrol prices, in which he said he would campaign for the President if petrol fell to ₦600 per litre. His latest remarks add healthcare affordability to his criticism of the administration’s economic record.
The fuel subsidy debate has remained central to the opposition’s economic arguments. Atiku has proposed a form of production support involving the supply of crude oil to domestic refineries at more affordable rates, with the expected savings passed on to consumers through lower fuel prices. The proposal has attracted questions from the Presidency over its funding and implementation.
In its earlier analysis, TheDailyNewsHub examined the return of fuel subsidy proposals to the 2027 election debate, including the competing positions of the government and opposition parties.
Tinubu’s administration has defended its economic reforms, maintaining that the removal of petrol subsidy was necessary to address fiscal pressures and redirect public resources towards development. The government has also pointed to changes in public revenue and investment as part of its economic policy record.
Amaechi’s comments reflect the opposition’s argument that the benefits of reform have not sufficiently reached households. The wider debate remains centred on whether government policies can improve purchasing power and make essential services, including healthcare and access to medicines, more affordable.