Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has launched a fresh attack on the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing its presidential ticket of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as a “joint ticket of corruption.”
Wike spoke on Monday during town hall interactive meetings with the Rumueme and Apara kingdoms in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The former Rivers governor also dismissed the electoral prospects of the ADC ticket, insisting that neither Atiku nor Amaechi would secure 25 per cent of the votes in Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election.
According to Wike, the opposition coalition is attempting to return to power despite the corruption allegations and controversies that have trailed some of its leading figures.
He took particular aim at Atiku over comments the former vice president recently made urging Nigerians to accept money offered to them by members of the ruling party, arguing that such funds were likely to have been stolen.
Wike said Atiku’s comments were ironic given the corruption allegations previously levelled against him by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who served as his principal when Atiku was vice president.
“When I saw Atiku on television yesterday, asking Nigerians to take any money given to them by people from the party in power, that it will be stolen money, I said, haa, Atiku is now an apostle of anti-corruption?
“The same Atiku that his boss described as corrupt and that one of his major regrets is making him his Vice President is talking,” Wike said.
He argued that the decision to pair Atiku with Amaechi had further weakened the opposition’s claim to moral credibility, describing the ADC ticket as a combination of politicians whose records, according to him, Nigerians would reject.
Wike urged Rivers voters to disregard the opposition and support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term, saying the president had demonstrated commitment to the state through development projects and political appointments.
He said his personal focus was now firmly on securing Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
“Each day I sleep, I am thinking about the president’s reelection. When I am eating, I think about the president’s reelection. Everything I am doing now is about the president’s reelection,” Wike said.
He appealed to Rivers voters to put political sentiments aside and support the president based on what he described as the benefits the state had received from the Tinubu administration.
“Let us forget sentiment and vote the person that has recognized the people of Rivers State with dividends of democracy and with several appointments,” he said.
Wike expressed confidence that Tinubu would perform better in Rivers State in 2027 than he did in the 2023 presidential election.
“I know the reelection of Tinubu in 2027 will be easier than that of 2023. We should appreciate Tinubu and ensure massive votes for him. We can do it,” he said.
The FCT minister, however, acknowledged that the 2027 contest would involve intense political battles, urging his supporters and community stakeholders to remain focused and avoid internal conflicts.
He cautioned against communal disputes and what he described as efforts by some individuals to destabilise the grassroots for political purposes.
Wike also advised his supporters not to be consumed by political anxieties, saying political outcomes ultimately remain in God’s hands.
“What will be, will be. You don’t need to kill yourself… Anything that God said would be, it would be,” he said.
The minister also took a swipe at former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate Peter Obi, describing him and other opposition politicians as “unelectable.”
Wike’s latest comments further sharpen the political battle ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly in Rivers State, where the minister remains a major political force and where the opposition coalition is expected to mount a strong challenge for votes.