Breaking: Amaechi Explains Why Buhari Didn’t Approve Key Electoral Bill

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has criticised past administrations for their inability to implement meaningful electoral reforms.

Speaking at a public lecture, Amaechi said the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari made attempts to push through reforms but ultimately failed. He alleged that fears of foreign interference, including claims that “Russia will rig the election,” contributed to stalling the process.

“The problem with elections in Nigeria is that no incumbent government has been able to achieve electoral reform—none! Buhari tried and failed. The National Assembly even passed the law and placed it on his desk, but he did not sign it,” Amaechi said. “I wish I were there. I would have told him that everything has an antidote. If there’s a Russia, there’s also an America.”

He recalled that attempts to amend the electoral law in 2019 were blocked, but by 2023, Buhari had made electoral reform a key part of his legacy plans. Despite this, entrenched interests eventually prevented the reforms from being signed into law.

“When the bill reached the National Assembly, it did not return correctly. By the time they realised they had omitted people like us—automatic delegates as former speakers—Buhari refused to sign. Those around him ensured it was blocked and got what they wanted. Now, those same people are calling for electoral reform,” he said.

Drawing on his experience managing Buhari’s campaigns, Amaechi highlighted the role of citizen mobilisation in protecting elections.

“We made it so difficult for any Nigerian governor to manipulate results in their state. Whenever Buhari visited a state, the governor would be on the run because the mobilisation and determination of the people prevented any manipulation,” he said.