Reject Atiku, Amaechi, Obi; back Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, Wike tells Rivers

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has urged voters in Rivers State to reject opposition figures Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing them as political gamblers without clear development plans.

Wike made the remarks at a town hall meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Ayama, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he mobilised support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and other candidates endorsed by the coalition.

He argued that Nigerians should assess political leaders based on their records in office and capacity to deliver development, rather than repeatedly entrusting the country’s future to politicians seeking the presidency without demonstrable plans for addressing national challenges.

“Don’t trust your destiny to political gamblers. Don’t trust your destiny to ‘kalokalo’ people,” Wike told the gathering, which included traditional rulers, party members and community stakeholders.

The minister singled out Atiku, a former vice president; Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor; and Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, as politicians he said should not be entrusted with the country’s leadership.

Wike questioned the rationale behind repeated presidential bids, arguing that electoral contests should be driven by a clear national vision and a record of performance rather than political ambition or attempts to recover previous campaign investments.

He cited former United States President Abraham Lincoln as an example of a politician whose repeated electoral efforts were driven by a vision, contrasting this with what he described as the motivations behind some Nigerian politicians’ presidential ambitions.

The minister also defended his record as a former Rivers State governor, urging residents of Abua/Odual to evaluate candidates based on projects delivered in their communities.

He challenged Amaechi to demonstrate his administration’s contributions to the local government area, arguing that tangible development should be a key consideration in voters’ decisions.

Wike further called on residents to support Tinubu’s administration in the 2027 elections, crediting the government with stabilising key sectors of the economy and restoring industrial harmony in tertiary institutions.

As part of the coalition’s mobilisation drive, he urged voters to support Tinubu for president, Kinsley Chinda for governor, Felix Obua for Rivers West senatorial district and Solomon Boss for the Abua/Odual-Ahoada East federal constituency, all under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also endorsed John Iderima, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Abua/Odual state constituency.

Chinda commended Wike’s grassroots mobilisation efforts, saying the approach would inform his administration if elected governor.

“We have learnt from him, and we will continue. It will be a bottom-up approach; the people will decide and determine their fate in government,” Chinda said.

Earlier, Continue Eketu, a Professor, who spoke on behalf of Abua/Odual communities, praised Wike’s leadership and highlighted projects executed in the area during his tenure as Rivers State governor.

Eketu said the communities had resolved to support candidates endorsed by the Rainbow Coalition in the forthcoming elections.