The ADC vice-presidential candidate says rising drug prices under the current administration made it hard for his family to get his mother the care she needed.

Former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of contributing to the death of his mother.

Amaechi, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.

He said his mother was in good health before Tinubu took office. After that, he said, the rising cost of medicines made it difficult for the family to buy the drugs she needed.

He also argued that his family is not alone. In his view, many Nigerians are struggling to afford healthcare because of the economic hardship, and some are close to losing their own parents.

To support his point, Amaechi cited figures that he attributed to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). According to him, Nigeria spent ₦200 billion on drug imports in the last quarter, and about 40 per cent of finished goods in the country are imported.

He asked why his mother did not live as long as some of his friends’ parents, who are 90 or 92 years old. He answered that Tinubu was the reason, adding that she was healthy before his presidency.

Amaechi has criticised the administration’s economic policies before. He has linked the removal of the petrol subsidy to the wider cost-of-living pressure on Nigerians.