Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that voters in Rivers State will support President Bola Tinubu ahead of former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi in the 2027 presidential election.
Wike made the statement on Saturday while speaking in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he revisited the political decisions made by Amaechi ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
According to Wike, Amaechi chose then-presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari over former President Goodluck Jonathan, despite Jonathan being from the Niger Delta.
Wike said Amaechi had previously argued that political brotherhood should be based on identifying with the challenges of the people rather than on blood relations.
He said he would apply the same definition to the 2027 election, arguing that Tinubu had demonstrated greater support for Rivers State than Amaechi did when he served as Minister of Transportation.
“In 2014, Amaechi defined who a brother is,” Wike said, adding that he would continue to mention the former governor’s name in discussing the matter.
The FCT minister also criticised Amaechi’s record as Transportation Minister.
He alleged that instead of establishing the proposed University of Transportation in Rivers State, Amaechi took the institution to Daura in Katsina State.
Wike questioned whether the move helped Amaechi achieve his political ambitions.
“Did they make him president?” he asked.
Turning to Tinubu’s administration, Wike said the President had demonstrated what he described as brotherhood by supporting developments in Rivers State.
He cited the appointment of Rivers indigenes as Vice Chancellors of the University of Port Harcourt and the newly established University of Environment.
Wike also accused Amaechi of denying Rivers State the opportunity to have the environmental university during his tenure.
He concluded that, based on Amaechi’s earlier definition of political brotherhood, Tinubu should now be regarded as the political “brother” of Rivers people.
“That means Tinubu is our brother, and we have adopted him as our brother. So, we are going to follow Amaechi’s definition and vote President Tinubu over him and the ADC,” Wike said.
Amaechi is expected to contest the 2027 election as the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
