2027: I can’t fold my hands for Atiku to win –Wike
…Says Amaechi unfit to rule Nigeria
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not remain passive and allow former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to win the 2027 presidential election, as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also said former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaech, lacked the capacity to rule Nigeria.
Wike, who spoke on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, also dismissed reports that he was planning to relocate to Rivers State, saying his frequent visits to the state were part of efforts to remain politically engaged with his people.
“You want me to fold my hand for Atiku Abubakar to come and win the election?” Wike asked.
The minister said he had no intention of abandoning his responsibilities in Abuja, but would continue to maintain close contact with political developments in Rivers State.
“It’s not about relocating; it’s about coming home to relate with the people and talk to them, and also do those things you know how to do very well, not to take chances.
“So, I’m not relocating. I don’t need to relocate, but I also have to be in touch with my people so that I don’t just sit in Abuja and then say that everything is going on there well,” he said.
According to him, he would not rely solely on assurances from political associates that all was well in Rivers State, particularly as the 2027 general election approaches.
“I don’t want to sit in Abuja and candidates are saying, ‘Oh, don’t bother, everything is going on well’. I have to come home and see that all those things are going on. ‘Have you done this? What about this?’” Wike asked.
Launching a blistering attack on his longtime political adversary and former Rivers State governor, Amaechi, Wike declared that anyone who once shut down courts was fundamentally unfit to serve as Nigeria’s vice president.
Wike urged Nigerians to critically examine the past actions of political figures claiming to champion democracy and the rule of law before trusting them with high office.
“Rotimi Amaechi, who wants to be vice president today, once shut down the courts in Rivers State and caused a pregnant woman to give birth in prison,” Wike said.
He argued that such precedents should automatically disqualify political aspirants from occupying sensitive executive positions, emphasising that a track record of undermining the judiciary cannot be brushed aside.
Wike further broadened his critique to target the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), accusing the legal body of abandoning its historic role as an impartial defender of justice and constitutionalism in favor of partisan politics.
“The Nigerian Bar Association has now taken sides politically. They are now a political party,” Wike declared.
He maintained that the association ought to remain an independent institution dedicated to upholding the rule of law, rather than serving as an arena for political contests or offering platforms that amount to partisan endorsements.
