ADC Leaders, Osinbajo Join Rotimi Amaechi to Bury His Mother in Rivers State
Ubima, Rivers State — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and former Senate President David Mark were among a large gathering of prominent Nigerian political figures who converged on Ubima, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday for the burial of Dame Mary Orduah Amaechi, mother of former Rivers State governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi.
The funeral service was held at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Ubima, with Atiku, the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, attending alongside his wife, Titi Abubakar. He was joined by ADC National Chairman Senator David Mark and other senior party officials, alongside former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami and ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola. The party said in a statement that its leaders had joined Amaechi and his family to pay their final respects and stand with them during their time of grief.
Other dignitaries in attendance included former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, former Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha, businessman Great Ogboru, and a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Dame Amaechi, whose death was announced on July 16, 2026, was 89 years old at the time of her passing. Her burial came a day after former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), visited Amaechi’s Port Harcourt residence to offer their condolences ahead of the funeral.
During the service, the officiating bishop described the late Dame Amaechi as a generous, kind, and God-fearing woman who instilled strong Christian values in her children, using the occasion to reflect on the transient nature of life. In his vote of thanks, an emotional Amaechi expressed appreciation to the friends, associates, and political leaders who travelled from across Nigeria and abroad to honour his late mother, describing the loss as difficult but noting that the outpouring of support had provided comfort to his family.
Reacting to the turnout, an ADC chieftain, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, commended Atiku, Osinbajo, and other dignitaries for what he described as a rare show of solidarity that demonstrated Nigerians could set aside political differences to honour the deceased. He also praised Peter Obi and Kwankwaso for attending despite their political rivalry with the ADC. However, Eze separately criticised what he characterised as an attempt by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to organise competing political events in the same local government area on the day of the burial, describing the move as divisive, though he noted that the alleged attempt failed to diminish the turnout at the funeral.
The burial drew political figures from across Nigeria’s divide, underscoring the widespread personal respect commanded by the Amaechi family even amid the sharpening political rivalries ahead of the 2027 general election.
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