The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over comments suggesting that the opposition would struggle to secure significant votes in Rivers State during the 2027 general elections.
Wike had reportedly stated at a political luncheon in Rivers State that Atiku and the ADC would not secure up to 10 percent of votes in the state, while expressing confidence that his preferred political coalition would dominate both gubernatorial and presidential contests.
Reacting through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed Wike’s remarks as undemocratic and an attempt to undermine the will of voters in the South-South state.
He insisted that no individual, regardless of political influence or access to federal power, has the authority to determine how an entire state will vote.
“The people of Rivers State are not political slaves. They are intelligent, independent-minded Nigerians who will make their choices,” Atiku said, adding that, “no individual can dictate how an entire state will vote.”
He further described Wike’s comments as reflective of growing anxiety within the ruling political camp, arguing that Nigerians are more concerned about economic hardship, insecurity, and rising cost of living than election predictions.
Atiku maintained that the electorate would base their decisions on governance realities and the future they desire, not on political declarations made by influential office holders.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, has remained a central figure in Nigeria’s evolving political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
