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Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has claimed that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary was structured from the beginning to favour former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, insisting that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi never stood a realistic chance of emerging as the party’s flag bearer.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike said the composition of the ADC leadership made the outcome predictable long before delegates voted, arguing that the party machinery was firmly under the control of forces loyal to Atiku.
The minister, who once served as Chief of Staff to Amaechi when he governed Rivers State, said he immediately recognised the direction of the contest when his former ally aligned with the opposition coalition.
“Amaechi is my brother. I served as Chief of Staff in his government. When I saw that he was running with them, I knew what would happen. If he had called me, I would have said, ‘Don’t go there.’ It was very clear he would not get transparency or due process,” Wike said.
According to the FCT minister, the emergence of former Senate President David Mark in a key leadership role within the ADC was enough indication that the presidential race would ultimately favour Atiku.
“When I saw the setup in ADC and saw David Mark there, I laughed. When you have worked with these people, you know who is who and what they are capable of doing. That set-up was Atiku’s set-up 100 per cent.
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“You cannot set a trap for me. We know ourselves as politicians. Who told you that kind of structure would give you transparency? Who told you that kind of structure would give you free and fair elections?” he said.
Wike argued that Amaechi misjudged the political dynamics surrounding the coalition and allowed criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to influence his decision to join the race.
“I think my brother made a mistake. He was too much in a hurry. He was carried away by people shouting that this government is not doing well. They used that to lure people in and give themselves credibility,” he added.
The minister also revisited the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2022 presidential primary, accusing David Mark of failing to provide a level playing field in the contest that eventually produced Atiku as the PDP presidential candidate.
His comments come amid growing controversy over the ADC primary, which has continued to generate debate within opposition circles.
Amaechi had publicly rejected the outcome of the exercise before the official declaration of results, describing the process as manipulated and inconsistent with the democratic values the party claimed to represent.
In a statement posted on his X account, the former Rivers governor alleged that large numbers of party members were denied the opportunity to vote and insisted the process failed to meet the standards of fairness and transparency promised by the ADC leadership.
Despite the protests, the party proceeded with the announcement of results, declaring Atiku winner of the presidential contest and flag bearer for the 2027 election.
Official figures released by the ADC showed Atiku polling 1,846,370 votes to secure victory, while Amaechi finished second with 504,117 votes. Economist and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen came third with 177,120 votes.
The fallout from the primary has triggered reconciliation efforts within the party, with Atiku already holding separate consultations with both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen in a bid to calm tensions and rally support behind his candidacy.
The meetings are seen by political observers as part of a broader effort to prevent divisions within the opposition coalition as preparations for the 2027 presidential race gather momentum.
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