Amaechi made the declaration during an interview on AIT’s Democracy Today programme, where he outlined security, education and the economy as the key areas an ADC government would prioritise if elected.
The former Rivers State governor said he was prepared to make his continued stay in office dependent on the performance of the proposed administration, urging Nigerians to hold him accountable if they did not begin to notice meaningful changes.
“This time, I will say it. If Nigeria does not begin to change one year after we’ve come to office, come to me, I will resign,” Amaechi said.
Amaechi clarified that he was not suggesting that every problem facing Nigeria would be solved within one year. Rather, he said Nigerians should begin to feel a difference in the country’s direction within that period.
“One year after? Yes, if Nigeria does not begin to change. I didn’t say Nigeria must change or that everything must change. But even if you feel the change, you have a breath of fresh air,” he said.
On his priorities, Amaechi identified security, education and the economy as three areas that would require immediate attention.
“You must deal with three things. We must deal with security; we must deal with education; we must deal with the economy before this country can progress,” he said.
He also linked the challenges in those sectors to corruption, arguing that public resources meant for development were being diverted into private hands. He said reducing corruption would make more resources available for addressing national problems.
The ADC vice-presidential candidate also criticised the removal of the petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, questioning the benefits Nigerians had received from the policy.
Amaechi further expressed concern about the level of poverty in the country and what he described as the contrast between economic hardship and lavish spending at some social gatherings.
On the economy, he argued that Nigeria’s dependence on imported finished products remained a major concern and claimed that more than 46 per cent of finished goods were imported.
“Who are those importing? Nigeria is in trouble,” he said.
Amaechi also referred to reports of Nigerians booing President Tinubu during his arrival at the Lagos International Airport, saying an ADC administration would seek to change the conditions that contribute to public dissatisfaction.
“I watched people hoot at Tinubu from the Lagos International Airport to his house. If we become President, nobody will do that. They will be clapping for us because we will change Nigeria,” he said.
The remarks come as political activities continue to build ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The ADC has confirmed Amaechi as its vice-presidential candidate alongside its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Amaechi’s one-year pledge is a political commitment made by the candidate and does not establish a legal requirement for resignation. His statement instead represents a personal undertaking that he says Nigerians can use to assess his continued service if the ADC assumes power.
The former governor’s remarks have added a specific one-year timeframe to his stated expectations for an ADC administration, particularly in the areas of security, education, economic management and the fight against corruption.
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