Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for participating in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary, describing the move as a political miscalculation.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike said the outcome of the primary was predictable from the beginning because the party’s internal structure did not provide the conditions for a transparent contest.
The former Rivers governor, who once worked closely with Amaechi as his Chief of Staff, said he was not surprised by the result and would have advised his former ally to stay away from the race had he been consulted.
According to Wike, the configuration of the ADC leadership gave away the likely beneficiary of the process long before voting began. He argued that the presence of former Senate President David Mark in a key leadership role suggested that the contest would tilt in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Wike claimed experienced politicians could easily read the signs and understand where the party was headed, insisting that the arrangement was unlikely to produce a genuinely competitive primary.
He further alleged that dissatisfaction with the current administration created momentum that encouraged several aspirants, including Amaechi, to join the race without fully assessing the political realities within the party.
The minister’s remarks followed Amaechi’s rejection of the ADC primary results. The former transportation minister had accused the party of failing to deliver the transparent process it promised, alleging that some members were denied the opportunity to participate in the exercise.
Despite the complaints, the ADC declared Atiku winner of the contest with 1,846,370 votes. Amaechi finished second with 504,117 votes, while businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen came third with 177,120 votes.
In the aftermath of the primary, Atiku has reportedly begun reconciliation efforts, holding separate meetings with Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen as part of moves to unite the party ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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