Babatunji Wusu –
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Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, arrived at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 23, 2025, as leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
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Amaechi, who recently resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), was warmly received by hundreds of supporters braving heavy rain, highlighting his strong grassroots backing.
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Upon arrival, he was presented with the ADC party symbol and affirmed his full membership in the party, signaling a new political chapter in Rivers State.
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He expressed regret over the notorious election result manipulations in Rivers but promised that such malpractice will be eradicated ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Amaechi’s defection to ADC reflects growing disillusionment with the APC and PDP in the state and aims to consolidate the opposition ahead of key future polls.
On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and Governor of Rivers State, made a high-profile return to his home state as the leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), formally marking his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC). His arrival at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, was greeted by a large crowd of loyal supporters who braved persistent rain, celebrating through drumming and dancing from early morning until Amaechi landed around noon.
Amaechi was presented with the ADC party symbol during the event, underscoring his new political alignment. In his address to the gathered crowd, he affirmed his full commitment to ADC and declared that the party intends to establish a lasting presence in Rivers State’s political landscape.
Highlighting concerns about the integrity of the state’s electoral processes, Amaechi lamented the historical prevalence of election result manipulations but emphatically pledged that such practices will not be tolerated in the approaching 2027 elections, emphasizing a commitment to transparent and fair democratic practices.
His move to ADC signals a shifting political tide in Rivers, as many supporters grow increasingly dissatisfied with the dominant APC and PDP, creating a fertile ground for ADC’s emergence as a credible alternative. Amaechi’s leadership of the party in Rivers is seen as a strategic attempt to harness this political opportunity to reshape the state’s governance ahead of the next general elections.
Further developments and details on Amaechi’s political plans and the ADC’s strategy for Rivers State are awaited.
