The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed that the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will fail to secure up to 10 percent of the total votes cast in Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election.
Wike spoke on Saturday during a luncheon held in honour of the candidates of the “Rainbow Coalition,” a political alliance in Rivers State comprising members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other key stakeholders loyal to him.
The former Rivers governor asserted that his coalition remains the ultimate political force in the state and will determine who succeeds to leadership positions, including the next governor.
In dismissing the electoral strength of Atiku’s new platform and other emerging alliances, Wike argued that their capacity lies merely in political defections rather than grassroots mobilisation.
“ADC and NDC have not run an election before,” Wike stated. “They do not understand elections; they only understand defection. This is the time they will see election practice. They will have the experience, and they will see what is in an election starting from Rivers State.”
“It is not enough to come on TV to say ‘President, we love you.’ But to show your commitment by how many votes you can deliver to win an election. It is not to go and visit him in Lagos for visits.
“Atiku Abubakar in 2023 never got 10 percent in Rivers State. It will be very disheartening if he gets 11 percent in Rivers State in the next election. If he gets 10 percent, which he did not get in 2023, it means he has gone higher. We will make sure ADC will not have 10 percent here.”
Wike’s long-running political battle with Atiku dates back to the 2022 PDP presidential primary and the subsequent selection of a vice-presidential running mate.
At the time, a PDP committee had recommended Wike as the preferred choice for the slot. However, Atiku bypassed the recommendation and selected former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa instead, citing Okowa’s temperament and consensus-building approach.
The decision was viewed as a betrayal by Wike, leading to a crisis within the PDP. Wike went on to lead the “G5” group of aggrieved governors, who withdrew their support from Atiku’s 2023 campaign.