FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and former senator Magnus Abe have called on Rotimi Amaechi to rethink his reported alliance with Atiku Abubakar. They argue that power should stay in the South until 2031.
Both men spoke in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The occasion was the unveiling of candidates of the Rivers State Rainbow Coalition. Wike leads the coalition. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Abe and other political leaders attended.
Abe said Amaechi’s reported support for Atiku contradicts his earlier stand. Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, had backed rotation of the presidency between the North and South. Abe therefore asked him to step down as Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate. He also urged Atiku to respect rotation. Abe declared his own support for President Bola Tinubu and the coalition.
Wike’s appeal to PDP members
Wike asked PDP members nationwide to back Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. He named Rivers, Kwara and Benue, and added Ondo, Ogun and other states. In his view, party differences should not stop anyone from supporting a second term for Tinubu.
He also questioned Atiku’s political consistency. In addition, he criticised Amaechi’s record as governor from 2007 to 2015. He recalled promises on malaria prevention and other projects. He also raised allegations about how funds were managed. Wike cited a judicial panel of inquiry and later court proceedings. However, the claims were not independently established at the event.
Finally, Wike said the coalition aims to unite politicians from different parties behind Tinubu and its endorsed candidates. He urged stakeholders to avoid actions that could reignite tension in the state. He called for peaceful politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
