From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ridiculed former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s prediction that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar could win the 2027 presidential election, questioning the opposition figure’s political influence after a town hall meeting in Cross River State.
Wike, who spoke during his media chat on Tuesday, claimed that fewer than 200 people attended the meeting where Amaechi reportedly argued that Atiku had an electoral advantage based on the regional origins of the leading presidential contenders.
The minister was responding to a question during Tuesday’s media chat on whether the emerging opposition alliance involving Atiku and Amaechi posed a serious challenge to supporters of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
Recounting Amaechi’s argument, Wike said the former governor had highlighted the regional identities of Atiku, Tinubu, Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023 Peter Obi and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke before concluding that Atiku was better positioned to win.
“I watched Amaechi. He had a town hall meeting in Cross River. I can tell you the numbers were not up to 200 people,” Wike said.
He questioned how Amaechi could arrive at such a conclusion based largely on regional considerations, particularly when the opposition was seeking to build a formidable coalition against Tinubu.
“How can a vice-presidential candidate go to a town hall meeting, stand and tell his supporters, ‘Do you know how this election has been won?’” the minister asked.
Wike also challenged the assumption that Atiku’s northern base would automatically translate into victory, citing the 2023 presidential election, in which Tinubu defeated Atiku and Obi.
“In 2023, Atiku ran, Obi ran, Tinubu ran. Who won?” he asked.
Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, with Atiku finishing second and Obi third.
However, Wike cautioned against assuming that the next election would follow the same pattern, maintaining that the political calculations and alliances ahead of 2027 would differ from those of the previous presidential contest.
“I have always told you people, 2027 will be totally different from 2023,” he said.
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