Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has described Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s selection as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate as an albatross that will hinder the former vice‑president’s 2027 presidential bid in Rivers State.
- +Amaechi traded South‑South presidency for VP slot — Wike
- +…Tinubu has impacted Nigerians more than Obasanjo, Buhari, others
Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice‑president, has paired with Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
…Tinubu has impacted Nigerians more than Obasanjo, Buhari, others
Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice‑president, has paired with Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Wike, in a live radio interview in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said Amaechi does not have the political capital necessary to secure victory for Abubakar in Rivers State and the South‑South in the 2027 elections.
He said it would be difficult for Amaechi to sell Abubakar to voters in the state and region, particularly given Amaechi’s role in events leading to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
Wike said: “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi running as vice‑presidential candidate is not a plus for Atiku Abubakar. First of all, he was governor; he couldn’t produce a successor. Remember, he was a DG; he couldn’t give Buhari 25%. Remember, he was a minister and became a DG; Mr President couldn’t get 25% in the 2019 election.
“So there are so many reasons why he cannot win Rivers for ADC. For example, before the birth of ADC, he came out on national television and said he was one of those who kicked out Jonathan. He didn’t want a South‑South person to complete his tenure as president. So what we will take is vice president. Listen, if a South‑South person was the president, you came out on national television and said you kicked him out, not to do a second tenure. Fine. The South‑South lost that position. Now they are giving you vice president to replace the president that we lost. In which party is that? It will be difficult, difficult to sell it.”
Wike added that Amaechi, as minister of transportation in the Muhammadu Buhari administration, could not influence major appointments for Rivers people.
“Now, you were a minister; can you tell Rivers people what you did to improve things, to say, ‘I’m in government, I’m influential in this government’? What did you achieve under the administration that you served? That while you were there the state was able to get this, to get that — you believe? Then we can say the vice‑president should be able to get more,” he said.
He compared this to his achievements as President Bola Tinubu’s Minister of the FCT, adding: “It has never happened in the history of Rivers State, right from Obasanjo to Yar’Adua, Jonathan to Buhari. People were close to Obasanjo. People were close to Buhari. People were close to Jonathan. Let anybody come out and tell me the kind of manpower development we have had under the administration of Bola Tinubu as far as Rivers State is concerned. Look at the appointments. It has never happened in history.”
Wike said Tinubu has set Nigeria on a path of development and has achieved more for the country than previous administrations since 1999.
Asked about his relationship with Jonathan, particularly given that the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has fielded the former president as its presidential candidate, Wike said he has a relationship with the former Nigerian leader.
He said Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State governor, who has recently returned to his political family, the Rainbow Coalition led by Wike, can now govern the state in peace and be free from those he described as “opportunists.”
Wike dodged a direct answer on whether he would support Fubara for a future political appointment after his term in office. He, however, stressed that they are all in the same political family now and are working for the re‑election of President Tinubu for a second term.
He accused Fubara’s four close Amaechi traded South‑South presidency for VP slot — Wike
… Tinubu has impacted Nigerians more than Obasanjo, Buhari, others – KELECHI NWAUCHA, Port Harcourt
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has described Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s selection as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate as an albatross that will hinder the former vice‑president’s 2027 presidential bid in Rivers State.
Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice‑president, has paired with Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Wike, in a live radio interview in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said Amaechi does not have the political capital necessary to secure victory for Abubakar in Rivers State and the South‑South in the 2027 elections.
He said it would be difficult for Amaechi to sell Abubakar to voters in the state and region, particularly given Amaechi’s role in events leading to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
Wike said: “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi running as vice‑presidential candidate is not a plus for Atiku Abubakar. First of all, he was governor; he couldn’t produce a successor. Remember, he was a DG; he couldn’t give Buhari 25%. Remember, he was a minister and became a DG; Mr President couldn’t get 25% in the 2019 election.
“So there are so many reasons why he cannot win Rivers for ADC. For example, before the birth of ADC, he came out on national television and said he was one of those who kicked out Jonathan. He didn’t want a South‑South person to complete his tenure as president. So what we will take is vice president. Listen, if a South‑South person was the president, you came out on national television and said you kicked him out, not to do a second tenure. Fine. The South‑South lost that position. Now they are giving you vice president to replace the president that we lost. In which party is that? It will be difficult, difficult to sell it.”
Wike added that Amaechi, as minister of transportation in the Muhammadu Buhari administration, could not influence major appointments for Rivers people.
“Now, you were a minister; can you tell Rivers people what you did to improve things, to say, ‘I’m in government, I’m influential in this government’? What did you achieve under the administration that you served? That while you were there the state was able to get this, to get that — you believe? Then we can say the vice‑president should be able to get more,” he said.
