Wike mocks Amaechi’s 2027 ambition, says it’s ‘dead on arrival’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the 2027 presidential ambition of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, describing it as “dead on arrival.”

Wike’s comment comes after Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, declared on August 9 that he would defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 elections if given the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.

Amaechi had also claimed he had never engaged in election rigging and boasted that he could end corruption in Nigeria within a month if elected president.

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“If I become president, I will change the constitution from indigeneship to citizenship. If I do not end corruption in Nigeria within one month, I will tender my resignation,” Amaechi had said.

However, speaking on Tuesday during his appearance on ‘Politics Today’, a Channels Television programme, Wike said Amaechi himself knows that he would not secure the ADC presidential ticket.

“He knows he won’t get the ticket,” Wike said.

“I read that he said he knows the weaknesses of the president, so he knows how to defeat him. But he also knew the weaknesses of the president in 2022 when the president defeated him mercilessly in the primary.

“Nigerians know the last person they will give a ticket to because they know it (Amaechi’s bid) is dead on arrival.”

Amaechi finished second in the 2022 presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was won by Tinubu.

Wike also accused Amaechi of lacking credibility on governance and anti-corruption, claiming the former minister had no respect for the judiciary or the rule of law while he was Rivers governor.

Amaechi governed Rivers from 2007 to 2015 before handing over to Wike, who also spent eight years in office.

The two men, once allies, have since become political adversaries.