Rotimi Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies contributed to the death of his mother, saying the rising cost of medication made it difficult for him to provide the drugs she needed.
Amaechi made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, where he criticised the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms on Nigerians.
The former Rivers State governor said his mother was in good health before Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to him, the situation changed as the cost of medicines increased and became more difficult to afford.
“The policies Tinubu introduced are killing people. I lost my mother because of the policies. We have lost people. President Tinubu’s policies killed my mother,” he said.
Amaechi said he personally struggled to keep up with the cost of his mother’s medication despite doing what he could to care for her.
“Before Tinubu became President, my mother was healthy. Suddenly, when Tinubu came, it became difficult to buy drugs for my mother. I did the best I could in taking care of my mother,” Amaechi added.
His comments came while discussing the wider effect of the Federal Government’s economic policies, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the changes to the foreign exchange system.
Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy shortly after his inauguration in May 2023.
The administration has consistently defended the decision, arguing that the subsidy had placed a heavy burden on government finances and that the money could be redirected to infrastructure and other areas of national development.
The policy, however, led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and transportation costs, with the effects spreading to the prices of goods and services.
Amaechi questioned whether Nigerians were getting sufficient benefits from the savings associated with the subsidy removal.
He argued that the purpose of the reform was to improve the living conditions of citizens and not leave families struggling to meet basic needs.
His criticism also extended to healthcare. The ADC candidate said the rising cost of medicines had become a serious problem for families who depend on regular medication.
Amaechi’s allegation comes against the background of the death of his mother, Mary Amaechi, who died on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89.
Her family described her as a respected community leader and a committed Christian.
The death had earlier attracted condolences from several political figures, including President Tinubu.
The President described the late Mary Amaechi as a woman whose life reflected faith, sacrifice and service to others.
Amaechi has repeatedly attacked the government’s economic direction as the 2027 general election approaches.
The former governor argued that government policies should be measured by how they affect people at the household level.
For Amaechi, the difficulty he faced in obtaining his mother’s medication became an example of what he described as the hardship created by the current economic situation.
He maintained that many other Nigerian families were experiencing similar difficulties but lacked the resources to cope with the rising cost of healthcare.
The Federal Government, on its part, has maintained that the reforms were necessary to address longstanding weaknesses in the Nigerian economy.
The State House has described the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange reforms as measures intended to strengthen public finances, attract investment and create conditions for long-term economic recovery.
The government has also introduced measures it says are designed to cushion the effect of the reforms.
These have included cash transfers, CNG initiatives and other interventions targeted at vulnerable Nigerians.
In a related development, Politics Nigeria recalls that Amaechi’s mother was buried in September 2026, with political figures and associates gathering in Ubima, Rivers State, to pay their respects to the late matriarch.
Reports on the funeral said she died at 89 after being described by her family as a woman who devoted her life to her family, faith and community.
