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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday launched a blistering attack on former governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a political liability with no electoral value in Rivers State or the South-South, while insisting that President Bola Tinubu is the only presidential candidate capable of winning the state in the 2027 general election.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja, Wike dismissed suggestions that Amaechi could strengthen any presidential ticket, arguing that the former Rivers governor had repeatedly failed to deliver electoral victories despite occupying influential positions in successive campaigns.
“If you are choosing a Vice Presidential candidate, a running mate, I’m 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.”
Wike cited previous election results to support his claim, noting that Amaechi failed to secure significant electoral support in Rivers State even while serving as Director-General of presidential campaigns and as Minister of Transportation.
“He has never won a presidential election after 2011 when I was the Director of Campaign. He was the Director-General of Buhari in 2015 when he was governor; why did he not get 25 per cent? He was the DG in 2019 when he was a super minister; why did he not get 25 per cent? He supported Atiku in 2023; how come he didn’t get 15 per cent?” Wike queried.
According to the FCT minister, a true political leader should retain grassroots support after leaving office and should be able to point to tangible federal projects delivered to their state.
He challenged Amaechi to identify major federal interventions he attracted to Rivers State and the South-South during his years in government.
Wike also accused the former minister of political inconsistency, alleging that Amaechi had criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary process as flawed before later embracing the same system.
“This was the same man, just one month ago, who said the APC primary is manual, irregularity and corruption. 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,” he said.
The minister further argued that Amaechi’s role in opposing former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015 and his alleged involvement in the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, would count against any future political ambition in the South-South.
“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?” he asked.
Wike contrasted what he described as the current administration’s commitment to Rivers State with previous governments, citing projects such as the Bonny Road as evidence that the state is receiving unprecedented federal attention.
“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,” he said.
Turning to the 2027 presidential election, Wike declared that Tinubu would be the only candidate capable of winning Rivers State, urging political analysts to discount the state from any electoral projections that excluded the President.
“If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can count Rivers is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I’m not talking because I want to talk; I’m talking as a political realist because I know my people,” he said.
Wike disclosed that a broad political coalition comprising members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), APC, Labour Party (LP), Action Alliance (AA) and other political groups had agreed to work together to support Tinubu’s re-election while fielding consensus candidates for legislative positions regardless of party affiliation.
“Today, we have PDP, APC, Labour Party, AA all together. We have candidates across different political parties for the House of Assembly and National Assembly.
We will support the candidate who is most acceptable. Whoever emerges should not be seen as APC or PDP; the person should be seen as the coalition’s candidate,” he said.
According to him, the alliance is rapidly gaining momentum across Rivers State.
“All we are doing is for one purpose — to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is all-inclusive and it is spreading like wildfire.”
Wike maintained that the coalition was driven by the state’s development rather than partisan interests.
“For me, what matters is Rivers State. 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,” he stated.
Reflecting on his political career, Wike said his decades of experience had equipped him with a deep understanding of electoral politics and leadership.
“I have been in politics since 1999. Nobody can teach me politics or tell me how to navigate it. Politics is about leadership and understanding the interests of your people.”
The former Rivers governor also recalled the 2019 governorship election, alleging that despite the deployment of overwhelming federal force against him, he emerged victorious because of the support of the people.
“I saw what federal might mean. Military personnel came with battalions as if Rivers State was at war. We survived it by the grace of God and fought back.”
He added that his political influence rests on the trust he enjoys among Rivers people.
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“Once the people trust you, they believe that what you tell them will happen. Leadership is about carrying the people along, and that is what we have continued to do,” Wike said.
The minister predicted victory for President Tinubu, arguing that he has demonstrated the political will to take difficult decisions needed to revive Nigeria’s economy despite the short-term hardship they have caused.
Wike said Tinubu inherited an economy that had deteriorated over many years and should not be judged as though decades of structural challenges could be resolved within a few years.
The minister dismissed what he described as “rhetoric” in politics, insisting that Nigerians should support leaders who make difficult but necessary decisions rather than those who merely appeal to public sentiment.
“For me, why I don’t like rhetoric is that when something starts getting bad, it gets a solution that is worse. And when it gets worse, it takes time for you to heal and for the problems to be solved,” Wike said.
Recalling Nigeria’s political trajectory, he said successive administrations had faced criticism as economic problems deepened, making it unrealistic to expect Tinubu to reverse years of decline almost immediately.
“When you come to that worst situation, people expect that a problem that has taken over 15 years should be solved within one year. People don’t ask themselves questions.”
Wike defended the removal of fuel subsidy, describing it as one of the most courageous economic reforms undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
Drawing from his experience as a former governor, he said states were financially crippled under the subsidy regime and often struggled to pay workers.
“I was a governor. I was kneeling down before bank managers, even ordinary branch managers. Sometimes they would see me and take the back door and go away. A governor would be looking for them because the fuel subsidy was a cankerworm. Over N3 trillion was going at a go,” he said.
According to him, ending the subsidy has significantly improved revenue available to the federal and state governments.
“Now somebody came and said, ‘Listen, it has to stop now’ and it stopped. Money has been made available. Sub-national governments now have more money. Nobody now owes pensioners. Nobody goes to the bank again to borrow money to pay salaries. Money has been made available for infrastructure.”
While acknowledging that no government gets every decision right, Wike said leadership is defined by the courage to act.
“No decision can be 100 per cent right. But what makes leadership is the ability for you to take a decision. So many presidents said fuel subsidy was a scam, but nobody had the authority and the political will to stop it. Give him credit. More money has come.”
He added that rebuilding an economy weakened over many years requires patience.
“To put an economy together within a short term when the economy has been bastardised takes time. It’s not like saying, ‘God Almighty, heal him now.’ It takes time, but it will happen.”
The minister also took aim at leading opposition figures, saying he was familiar with both Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“I know Peter Obi very well. What I don’t like is people playing to the gallery. What I’m not used to, or what I’ve not done, I won’t do simply because I want to be in power.”
Wike criticised what he described as symbolic political gestures designed to win public sympathy.
“I was a governor and I’ve never attended birthday parties in IDP camps. I’ve never gone to celebrate my birthday in motherless babies’ homes but simply because I wanted to be president every birthday, somebody goes to IDP camps and motherless babies’ homes and people say, ‘Oh, this is the type of person we want.’ You are carried away by that kind of sentiment.”
On Atiku, Wike referenced comments by the former vice president’s erstwhile principal, Olusegun Obasanjo arguing that they reflected poorly on his suitability for office.
“I know Atiku Abubakar very well. You heard what his former boss said. The man who is supposed to give him a testimonial said he’s too bad. Your boss said Nigerians should be careful. What other testimonials do you want?”
Despite acknowledging that Tinubu’s administration is yet to solve every challenge, Wike insisted the President remains Nigeria’s best leadership option.
“Tinubu, this President, yes, he has not done everything. No, it’s not possible. Within three years, you can see the difference. Yes, it’s hurting.”
The minister also criticised television stations for inviting commentators whom he said lacked electoral credibility to analyse national politics.
“I have watched Channels, Arise and others. I see somebody talking about politics every day. This is a man who ran as a presidential aspirant from Edo and scored zero. That’s the man you people will call to comment politically.”
Reiterating his support for the President, Wike declared: “Asiwaju is the only person we have now.”
