2027: Atiku, Amaechi, Peter Obi are political gamblers – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described ADC’s Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, and NDC’s Peter Obi as political gamblers, urging Rivers residents not to entrust their future to them ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike spoke on Friday at a Rainbow Coalition town hall meeting in Ayama, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he rallied support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

“Don’t trust your destiny to political gamblers. Don’t trust your destiny to ‘kalokalo’ people,” he told the cheering crowd.

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He described political gamblers as politicians who repeatedly contest presidential elections without a clear vision for the country, arguing that Nigerians should entrust leadership to people with proven records of performance.

“These people are political gamblers and you cannot give your destiny to ‘kalokalo‘ people; you cannot hand over your destiny to political gamblers. Give a destiny to somebody who we know, who has tried all this, and he has done it,” he said.

Wike argued that repeated presidential bids without a clear governance plan would not provide solutions to Nigeria’s challenges. He contrasted such attempts with leaders whose political ambitions, he said, were driven by a clear national vision.

The minister urged Rivers residents to support Tinubu in 2027, claiming that his administration had stabilised critical sectors and restored industrial harmony in tertiary institutions.

Defending his political record, Wike told residents of Abua/Odual to assess candidates based on their projects and achievements rather than campaign promises. He also challenged Amaechi to showcase his contributions to the area.

He urged the people to vote for Tinubu as president, Kingsley Chinda for governor, Felix Obua for Rivers West Senatorial District and Solomon Boss for Abua/Odual-Ahoada East Federal Constituency, all under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also called for support for John Iderima, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Abua/Odual State Constituency.

APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, commended Wike for mobilising support for Tinubu and other Rainbow Coalition candidates across communities.

“This is a system that we will sustain when we come into government. 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, Prof. Continue Eketu, speaking on behalf of Abua/Odual communities, praised Wike and listed projects executed in the local government area during his tenure as Rivers State governor.

“We have decided and agreed to vote massively for all candidates of the rainbow coalition,” Eketu said.