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.”
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, Wike said Nigerians would not support Amaechi’s bid in the next general election, and claimed he stands no chance of securing the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“He knows he won’t get the ticket,” Wike said. “I read that he claimed to know the president’s weaknesses and how to defeat him. But didn’t he know those same weaknesses in 2022 when the president beat him hands down in the APC primary?”
Wike further argued that Amaechi’s performance in public office makes him an unviable candidate for the presidency, adding that Nigerians would not take him seriously.
“Everyone knows the last person they’ll hand a presidential ticket to. His ambition is already dead on arrival,” Wike asserted.
The FCT minister also accused Amaechi of having no regard for the rule of law during his time as governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015.
“He cannot fight corruption or promote good governance. When he was governor, he disrespected the judiciary and the rule of law,” Wike alleged.
Amaechi, who previously served as Minister of Transportation and Governor of Rivers State, left the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2025 to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in pursuit of his presidential ambition. He had earlier contested the APC presidential primary in 2022, where he finished second to Bola Tinubu.
Wike and Amaechi have had a longstanding political rivalry, dating back to their days in Rivers State politics. Their feud continues to shape the political landscape of the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
