2027: Atiku faces uphill task with Amaechi as running mate – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would face difficulty winning the 2027 presidential election with former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.

Wike made the remark during a media chat, where he questioned Amaechi’s electoral value and influence in Rivers State and the South-South region.

According to him, Amaechi no longer commands the political support required to significantly boost Atiku’s presidential ambition, insisting that the former Rivers governor has failed to deliver electoral victories in recent years.

Wike argued that Amaechi’s selection would add little to the opposition’s chances at the polls, claiming that the former minister lacks the political structure needed to mobilise votes.

He also suggested that factors other than electoral strength may have influenced Atiku’s decision to pick Amaechi as his running mate.

The FCT minister maintained that President Bola Tinubu would retain strong support in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general election, expressing confidence that the state would back the President’s re-election bid.

Wike further insisted that the political influence of his camp in Rivers remains intact, despite recent political realignments in the state, adding that the outcome of the 2027 election would reflect the strength of existing political structures rather than individual ambitions.