African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi has warned Nigerians against voting for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, saying doing so could mean continued economic hardship.

Amaechi made the remark while speaking about the political choices Nigerians will face ahead of the 2027 election. He contrasted a vote for Tinubu with support for the opposition, arguing that Nigerians should reject policies he believes have worsened living conditions.

“So you have a choice to either vote for Tinubu and die of poverty or vote Atiku and make money,” Amaechi said.

The former Rivers State governor is running as the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate alongside the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. The party formally announced Amaechi as its vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

His remarks come as political parties and candidates intensify their campaigns ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, with the economy expected to remain a central issue for voters.

Tinubu, who is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress, has defended his administration’s economic reforms, while opposition figures have continued to criticise their impact on Nigerians.

Amaechi’s statement reflects the increasingly confrontational tone of the emerging 2027 campaign, with opposition politicians seeking to make the cost of living and economic conditions major issues in their challenge to the incumbent president.

The 2027 presidential election is expected to feature a broad field of contenders, with the ADC coalition positioning itself as a major opposition force seeking to unseat Tinubu.

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has explained the difficulty of securing Sambisa Forest, saying its vast size makes the military operation there far more complex than many people assume.

Musa said the forest should not be viewed as a small, easily contained area, stressing that its scale presents a major challenge to security forces operating against insurgents.

“Sambisa Forest is as big as Belgium as a country, so when people talk about these things, they make it look as if it is one small football field and we are refusing to do anything,” he said.

His remarks come amid continued military efforts to contain insurgent activity in parts of northeastern Nigeria, where Sambisa Forest has historically served as a stronghold for Boko Haram and other armed groups.

The forest has been the focus of several military operations over the years, with Nigerian forces carrying out ground and aerial operations against insurgents operating in the area.

Musa’s comments were aimed at putting the security challenge into perspective, arguing that the scale of the terrain makes the fight considerably more demanding than public discussions sometimes suggest.

The comparison with Belgium has circulated widely following his remarks, although estimates of the size of Sambisa Forest vary considerably depending on the boundaries and definition used. The comparison should therefore be understood as Musa’s description of the scale of the area rather than a settled geographical measurement.

The defence minister’s broader argument was that the complexity of the terrain and the continued presence of armed groups require sustained military efforts rather than an expectation of an immediate resolution.

Recent xenophobic protests in South Africa are having an economic impact, with some businesses struggling after foreign workers and traders left the country.

The situation has been particularly evident in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, where clothing manufacturers have reported losing significant numbers of migrant workers following anti-immigrant protests. Factory owners say the departures have left some production lines short of workers and raised concerns about possible closures.

The protests were driven in part by demands that undocumented migrants leave South Africa, amid claims by anti-immigration groups that foreigners are taking jobs from South Africans. However, employers and labour analysts have disputed the idea that migrant workers can simply be replaced, pointing to skills shortages and the unattractiveness of some low-paid and physically demanding jobs to local workers.

Reuters reported that three clothing factories in Newcastle had lost between 12 and 19 per cent of their workforces during the protests. One factory owner warned that the combined effect of labour shortages and declining orders could push businesses towards closure.

The wider impact extends beyond factories. South Africa’s spaza-shop economy has also been affected, with many foreign-owned small businesses targeted during recent anti-migrant actions. The New Humanitarian reported that the country’s large network of spaza shops plays an important role in neighbourhood economies, providing employment and access to everyday goods.

The developments have created an uncomfortable economic reality: campaigns demanding the removal of foreign workers and business owners can also disrupt businesses and supply chains that rely on their labour and participation.

While reports of South Africans wanting foreign business owners and workers to return have circulated, the broader evidence is more nuanced. The economic difficulties are documented, but it would be misleading to suggest that South Africans as a whole are demanding the return of foreigners.