Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has finally addressed the growing rumours suggesting he might team up with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a running mate in the 2027 election.

Amaechi made it clear that he is not interested in the vice-presidential slot and has no intention of contesting under anyone’s ticket.

He stated that he is focused on his own presidential ambition and will not entertain any discussions that attempt to place him as a deputy to another aspirant.

His position was conveyed through his media aide, David Iyofor, who stressed that Amaechi is determined to contest for president and nothing else.

Iyofor emphasized that the former Rivers State governor wants politicians to stop dragging his name into conversations about potential running mates.

According to him, Amaechi believes it is Southern Nigeria’s turn to produce the next president and he is pushing for that mandate under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In his words, “Amaechi is not seeking to be running mate to anybody. He does not intend to be a presidential running mate to anybody and will not. Amaechi is running to be President of Nigeria and not to be a running mate to anybody.”

His remarks follow comments credited to Dele Momodu, an ally of Atiku Abubakar, who suggested that Atiku might consider Amaechi as a possible running mate if other negotiations fail.

The statement generated reactions across political circles, prompting Amaechi to formally distance himself from such discussions.

This stance is consistent with Amaechi’s earlier declarations within the ADC. In August, he openly stated that he would not step down for any aspirant during the party’s presidential primary.

He argued that the delegates, not political negotiations, should determine who becomes the party’s standard-bearer.

Months before that, he had also mentioned that he was willing to serve as a one-term president if elected, insisting that political stability and power rotation were more important than personal ambition.

Amaechi previously contested the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022, where he came second behind the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

His move to the ADC and renewed ambition have sparked fresh conversations about the opposition landscape ahead of 2027.

For now, his message remains firm: he is running for president, and he does not want to be linked to any vice-presidential arrangement.

However, in a related development, in August, the ADC publicly affirmed that its leaders — including Atiku, Peter Obi, and Amaechi — remain united despite individual ambitions.

The party says personal goals will not break the coalition before 2027.