Former Rivers State governor and ex-minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has triggered widespread reactions after declaring that Nigerian politicians would continue looting public funds unless citizens forcefully resist them.
Speaking during a public engagement, Amaechi said politicians would not voluntarily abandon corruption, insisting that only strong public accountability could compel change.
“As politicians, we won’t stop stealing if Nigerians don’t pelt us with stones,” he said, in a remark that has since ignited heated debate across the country.
The statement comes amid growing public frustration over corruption, economic hardship and governance challenges in Nigeria, where concerns over accountability and misuse of public resources remain central political issues.
Amaechi, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s political landscape, appeared to suggest that the political class thrives largely because citizens have failed to consistently demand transparency and consequences for corruption.
His comments have drawn mixed reactions, with some Nigerians describing the statement as a blunt admission of the country’s entrenched political culture, while others condemned it as reckless and provocative.
The remarks also reignited conversations about public trust in leadership and the widening disconnect between political elites and ordinary Nigerians struggling with rising living costs and economic uncertainty.
