Wike: Atiku picked Amaechi for financial gains, he lacks capacity to deliver votes

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has questioned the rationale behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s decision to choose ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, Wike described Amaechi as a “political liability” with no electoral value in Rivers State or the wider South-South region.

The minister said Amaechi’s emergence as Atiku’s running mate could only be driven by financial considerations rather than voting strength.

“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 said.

Backing his claims with historical election data, Wike stated that Amaechi has failed to secure significant votes in Rivers State across multiple election cycles despite holding high-profile positions.

He said: “He has never won a presidential election after 2011 when I was the Director of Campaign. Never! He was the Director-General of Buhari in 2015 when he was governor; why did he not get 25%?

“He was the DG in 2019 when he was a Super Minister; why did he not get 25%? He supported Atiku in 2023; how come he didn’t get 15%?”

The minister defined a true political asset as a former governor who retains followership and can point to tangible achievements delivered to his state during his tenure in federal office.

Wike challenged Amaechi to present the direct benefits his leadership brought to the people of Rivers State and the South-South region.

Wike further accused the former minister of political inconsistency, noting that Amaechi had previously criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries as corrupt and irregular, only to turn around and participate in or benefit from the same system.

He said: “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.”

Tinubu has shown courage to tackle Nigeria’s challenges — Wike

Reiterating why the region would reject Amaechi’s national ambitions, Wike highlighted past political decisions, including Amaechi’s open opposition to former President Goodluck Jonathan – a fellow South-South indigene – during his 2015 re-election bid, as well as his alleged role in the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen.

“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?” Wike said, adding that the electorate in the region would demand accountability for these actions.

Contrasting his administration’s track record with that of his predecessor, Wike highlighted major infrastructural developments in Rivers State, such as the Bonny Road project, arguing that the state has received unprecedented federal attention under the current political dispensation compared to previous administrations.

“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,” Wike said.