Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has described former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as a political liability with no electoral value in the state or the wider South-South region. He recently declared that President Bola Tinubu is the only candidate who can win Rivers State in the 2027 general election.
Speaking at his monthly media chat monitored in Abuja, Wike urged political observers to discount Rivers State entirely from their calculations unless they are counting votes for Tinubu.
Wike concluded by questioning the basis for Amaechi’s emergence as a vice presidential candidate, stressing that it could only be financial rather than a reflection of voting strength.
His words, “If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can count Rivers is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am not talking because I want to talk; I am talking as a political realist, because I know my people.
I am sure the only factor that has been used to choose Rotimi Amaechi may be financial because the former governor lacks the capacity to deliver votes.
He has never won a presidential election after 2011 when I was the Director of Campaign. Never! He was the Director-General of Buhari in 2015 when he was governor; why did he not get 25%?
He was the DG in 2019 when he was a Super Minister; why did he not get 25%? He supported Atiku in 2023; how come he didn’t get 15%?
This was the same man, just one month ago, who said the ADC primary was manual, irregular, and corrupt.
How can we talk about removing a government that we are saying there is no election, and then we are in another election? The same man now is benefiting from the corruption, from irregularities of the same system.
A South-South person wanted to go for a second term. You were proud you kicked him out. Now, will South-South be happy for you to be Vice President? You think that people have forgotten?
Never in the history of Rivers State, from 1999, of those who claimed to be very close to the President, have we had the type of attention that Rivers State has now.
Today, we have PDP, APC, Labour Party, AA all together. Whoever emerges should not be seen as APC or PDP; the person should be seen as the coalition’s candidate.
If Rivers State is relevant because projects are coming and people are benefiting from government, then I am satisfied.
It is not about personal ambition; it is about the interest of the state.
I saw what federal might means. Military personnel came with battalions as if Rivers State was at war. We survived it by the grace of God and fought back.”
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