By joshua ‘Mad Men’ Remark On Edo Voters:
Tenebe Calls Amaechi Mentally Deranged
———-Warns of Inter-Party Confrontation
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Chief Jarrett Tenebe, has condemned former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, over his controversial declaration that Edo people who vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election would be “mad.”
Tenebe described it as a sign of mental derangement for a politician to visit a community and openly insult its people simply because of their political interests or support for a party of their choice.
Amaechi made the controversial remarks on Thursday, October 8, 2026, during an ADC town hall meeting in Benin City, where he urged Edo voters to reject Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The former Minister of Transportation declared that only a “madman” would vote for Tinubu, adding that Edo people who voted for the President would equally be considered mad. He also alleged that only thieves would campaign for the President.
Reacting to the development, Tenebe said Amaechi’s comments were not only disrespectful to the people of Edo State but also capable of escalating inter-party confrontation if left unchecked.
The Edo APC chairman called on security agencies to caution the former Rivers State governor against making further inflammatory statements about the Edo electorate, warning that political leaders must exercise restraint in their public utterances, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gather momentum.
According to Tenebe, visiting Edo State to canvass support for a political party should not become an excuse to insult the people whose votes a politician seeks.
He maintained that democracy thrives on the freedom of citizens to support candidates and political parties of their choice, stressing that disagreements over political preferences should be addressed through persuasion, policy debates and constructive engagement rather than insults.
Tenebe further argued that Amaechi’s outburst had exposed what he described as the former governor’s inability to accommodate divergent opinions, questioning whether someone who could not tolerate opposing political views possessed the temperament required for the high office he was seeking.
He said the office Amaechi was aspiring to was far greater than what he described as the politician’s limited capacity to accommodate differences of opinion.
The APC chairman urged Edo voters to reject the ADC and its candidates in the forthcoming elections, describing the party’s presence in the state as insignificant.
The controversy has added a fresh dimension to the emerging political contest in Edo State, where the APC is mobilising support for President Tinubu’s re-election while opposition parties seek to expand their influence ahead of the 2027 general election.
Amaechi’s comments have generated debate over the language of political campaigns and the responsibility of public figures to respect citizens whose support they seek.
As preparations for the 2027 general election intensify, the exchange underscores the potential consequences of inflammatory political rhetoric in an environment where competing parties are working to consolidate their support.
The development also highlights the importance of issue-based campaigns, peaceful political engagement and respect for the constitutional right of Nigerians to choose their leaders freely.