Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised the proposed political combination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, insisting that Nigerians will not hand over power to what he described as “political gamblers” in the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while speaking at the unveiling of candidates of the Rainbow Coalition, a political alliance formed to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The FCT Minister questioned the credibility of the opposition figures, citing allegations of financial mismanagement during Amaechi’s tenure as governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015.
He alleged that the former governor spent $10 million, which he put at N14 billion, on mosquito fumigation, while N53 billion was allegedly spent on a proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital that he claimed was never completed.
Wike also accused Amaechi’s administration of selling the Omoku gas turbine in December 2014 for $308 million, which he estimated at N419 billion, alleging that only $308,000 remained when he assumed office.
The allegations were presented by Wike as evidence of why he believes Nigerians should not entrust the country’s leadership to Amaechi and Atiku. The claims were not independently verified in his remarks.
Describing Atiku as an unreliable political partner, Wike recalled their involvement in the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential primaries and the 2019 general election, alleging that the former vice president frequently changed his position on political matters.
He argued that Amaechi’s association with Atiku made the opposition ticket less appealing, urging Nigerians to examine the records of those seeking to govern the country.
Wike also used the occasion to reaffirm his support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition, declaring that the Rainbow Coalition was established to unite members of different political parties behind the president rather than create political instability.
According to him, PDP members across the country had agreed, with the support of the party’s national working committee, to back Tinubu in 2027.
He further insisted that the PDP had no faction, maintaining that the Independent National Electoral Commission had recognised Abdulrahman Mohammed as the party’s national chairman.
Wike consequently called on PDP members in states including Imo, Kwara, Gombe, Zamfara and Ogun to support Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara unveiled Kingsley Chinda as the governorship candidate of the APC within the Rainbow Coalition, alongside other candidates representing the alliance’s six participating political parties.
Fubara urged his supporters to stop referring to him as the political leader of Rivers State, saying the position belonged to his political superior, whom he described as his “oga” and “General Overseer.”
In his acceptance speech, Chinda pledged to run an inclusive administration that would accommodate people across political parties, religious groups and ethnic backgrounds.
He said the coalition was determined to end political divisions in Rivers State, adding that Tinubu remained its leading candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Under the coalition’s reported sharing arrangement, the APC received two Senate slots and 10 House of Representatives slots, while the PDP secured one Senate slot and three House of Representatives positions. The APC also received the largest share of the state House of Assembly positions.
The political alliance is expected to play a role in shaping Rivers State’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Wike using the platform to strengthen support for Tinubu while criticising opposition figures seeking to challenge the president.
