The Coalition for the Defence of Nigeria’s Democracy (CDND) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over remarks it described as inciting and dangerous to national stability.

In a statement issued Monday in Abuja, signed by its National President, Dr. Rufus Obadiah, the group accused Amaechi of promoting rhetoric comparable to that of separatist agitator Nnamdi Kanu.

The group referenced a recent speech delivered by Amaechi at the launch of the 2025 Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey Report by the Africa Polling Institute in Abuja, where he made comments suggesting that no revolution can succeed without bloodshed.

“Amaechi said the only way to stop President Bola Tinubu in 2027 is for Nigerians to take their fate into their own hands — and then went further to suggest that no revolution can succeed without blood,” Obadiah said.

CDND argued that such comments amount to incitement and pose a serious threat to public order. The group warned that citing examples of uprisings in countries like Bangladesh and Peru, and lamenting that Nigerians are “too docile,” amounted to a call for civil unrest.

“There is no meaningful difference between Rotimi Amaechi and Nnamdi Kanu in this context,” the statement read. “Both have used inflammatory language, promoted civic disobedience, and hinted at bloodshed to advance their political causes.”

Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and two-term minister under President Muhammadu Buhari, recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and has declared his intention to run for president in 2027.

CDND dismissed his candidacy, describing it as opportunistic. “Rotimi Amaechi has never worked in the private sector for even a day in his life,” Obadiah said. “And yet, Nigeria’s transport sector remains in shambles, our seaports dysfunctional, and the rail projects he championed mired in debt, opacity, and inflation.”

The group also criticised Amaechi’s statement blaming ordinary citizens for their perceived helplessness under elite control, saying it was insensitive.

“The same elites who made a mess of governance are now mocking the people they failed. It is the height of insensitivity,” Obadiah said.

Referring to Amaechi’s statement that “200 million Nigerians can fight 100,000 elites,” CDND described the remarks as “a call to arms disguised as political analysis.” The group said similar language had led to the prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu and questioned why Amaechi remained free.

The group urged law enforcement agencies, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services, to investigate and take legal action against Amaechi, warning that failure to do so could set a dangerous precedent.

CDND also called on the ADC to clarify its position on Amaechi’s rhetoric. “The African Democratic Congress must make it clear whether it stands for democratic dialogue or revolutionary violence. The 2027 election is not a war,” the statement said.

Obadiah urged young Nigerians not to be misled by what he called “violent fantasy masquerading as reform.” According to him, Nigeria’s recovery must come through lawful, democratic means — not bloodshed.

“Amaechi has nothing new to offer,” he said. “Now, he wants to burn down what remains of Nigeria’s democracy so he can rise from its ashes. That is not patriotism. That is sabotage. And it must not go unpunished.”