2027: Wike Dismisses Amaechi's Relevance in Rivers, Says Atiku Ticket Dead on Arrival

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election, describing the ticket as "dead on arrival." Wike argued that Amaechi no longer possesses the political influence required to deliver votes in Rivers State or the South-South region.

Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Wike said the only possible reason Atiku selected Amaechi was financial, insisting that the former Minister of Transportation could not contribute meaningful electoral value to the ticket. He maintained that Amaechi had repeatedly failed to secure electoral victories despite occupying influential political positions over the years.

The former Rivers governor cited previous elections to support his claims, noting that Amaechi was unable to deliver Rivers State for former President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections despite serving as campaign director-general. He also pointed out that Atiku failed to secure significant votes in Rivers during the 2023 election despite Amaechi's support.

Wike further questioned Amaechi's political relevance in Rivers and the South-South, arguing that occupying high public offices does not automatically make a politician an electoral asset. He challenged his predecessor's record in office, saying political influence should be measured by continued grassroots support and tangible contributions to the people.

The minister expressed confidence that the Atiku-Amaechi ticket would struggle to gain traction ahead of the 2027 general election, maintaining that Rivers politics has changed significantly and that Amaechi no longer commands the support needed to influence the outcome of the presidential poll.