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2027: Amaechi, Wike Rivalry Flares Up Again

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2027: Amaechi, Wike Rivalry Flares Up Again

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and his successor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike are in for a show of power.

While Amaechi is on the part of the oppostion coaltion, Wike is strongly backing President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking at a public lecture in Abuja titled “Weaponization of Poverty” to mark his 60th birthday birthday, Amaechi had said he and Nigerians were hungry

He said at the event: “We are all hungry. All of us are. If you are not hungry, I am. So, for us the opposition, if you want us to remove the man in power (Tinubu), we can remove him from this power.”

DAILY POST reports that Amaechi is a key member of the opposition group who are forming a coalition to defeat President Tinubu in 2027.

On the other hand, Wike had boldly declared that he would lead Tinubu’s re-election campaign, despite being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Amaechi’s claims that he was hungry did not go down well with Wike.

He said on Monday during his monthly media briefing that the former Minister of Transportation was not lacking.

Wike, who stressed that Amaechi and the opposition coalition were only hungry for power, recalled how the former Minister once said he does not like money.

In 2017, Amaechi while noting that he wasn’t corrupt and didn’t like money had said: “Is my honesty in doubt? I have told Nigerians and I repeat to Nigerians today I am not corrupt and I don’t like money. I am not one swayed by money. I have lived a character that most Nigerians can tell you.”

Making reference to Amaechi’s past remark, Wike said “We have no time to listen to nonsense in Nigeria. I don’t understand why a man like Amaechi would choose his 60th birthday to lie to Nigerians about being hungry.

“He was Speaker from 1999 to 2007, Governor from 2007 to 2015, and Minister from 2015 to 2023. He never spoke about hunger during those years.

“Now they are regrouping. They are only hungry for power. This shows his failure. How can you trivialise the issue of hunger? He joined Atiku and claimed hunger. It is clear he cannot stay out of power. From 1999 to 2023, Amaechi stood before Nigerians and claimed hunger.”

Meanwhile, Amaechi has also fired back at Wike, describing him as a child.

Appearing on Arise TV, Amaechi said: “I wanted him (Wike) as chief of staff so I could supervise him.

“Adoke flew all the way from Abuja to Port Harcourt that Wike asked me to make him the Commissioner for Finance and I said no, he has to work under me so that I can supervise him.

“I’m saying this because I don’t want to join issues with children.

“You know, he made himself chief of staff. He made himself governor. He made himself a minister. He made himself local government chairman.”

Origin of Wike, Amaechi rift

DAILY POST reports that Wike’s rift with Amaechi dates back to 2012 when a political crisis broke out between them. They have not been at peace with each other.

Amaechi is from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Council Area, while Wike is from Rumueprikon in Obio/Akpor Local Council, all from the Ikwerre area of Rivers State.

Against all odds, Amaechi is believed to have made Wike a local council boss (Obio/Akpor), Chief of Staff and also nominated him minister during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

On the other hand, Wike stood for Amaechi when former president, Olusegun Obasanjo seemed to have turned against him.

Wike was said to have fought the fierce battle that led to Amaechi’s return as governor of Rivers State by the Supreme Court and formed the backbone in the administration that scared away enemies till Amaechi stabilised.

During his two-termed tenure as governor, Amaechi played away while Wike held sway in Rivers State.

Reactions trails Wike’s latest comment on Amaechi

Former presidential spokesman and Arise Television’s anchor, Reuben Abati accused Wike of being rude to the former Minister of Transportation because the latter is his boss in politics.

Abati said: “I think that Nyesom Wike is very rude and disrespectful because Rotimi Amaechi is his boss in politics.

“When he was a local government chairman or was a councillor during Amaechi’s second term, it was Rotimi Amaechi that helped him to become local government chairman.”

Wike’s aide fires back

Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, dismissed claims that Amaechi was Wike’s boss in politics.

Olayinka affirmed that Wike fought for Amaechi when the former governor fled Nigeria to Ghana following a face-off with the then Nigerian government.

According to Olayinka: “So how is Rotimi Amaechi Wike’s boss in politics? When Amaechi was a House of Assembly member, Wike was a Local Government Chairman.

“When Amaechi ran to Ghana in 2007, Wike was in Nigeria, leading the charge to retrieve Amaechi’s mandate. But I will still not talk.

“Yesterday, Wike spoke against Rotimi Amaechi and it was aired on ARISE NEWS.

“Today, Reuben Abati, who works in ARISE NEWS is the one defending him (Amaechi). Is he Amaechi’s spokesperson?

“Trained journalists working in Media Organizations don’t do that. They leave people to defend themselves.

“But Abati won’t understand, and know why. Reason he failed as President Jonathan’s Adviser on Media.”

What can unite Wike, Amaechi

Activist lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, said the quest for resource control can still bring the two estranged bedfellows together.

Speaking with DAILY POST, Idam said: “Amaechi and Wike have no real personal issues or issues based on principles and ideology, except the struggle for dominance and resource control.

“It’s all about who controls the resources of Rivers State and nothing else. Call them today and share the resources of Rivers people amongst the two of them, you will see them unite against another third party who would want a share from them.

“There is no ideology or principle in all the fights you see from them.”

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2027 Election: Tinubu’s Ex-Minister Adelabu Speaks On Dumping APC

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The immediate past Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has dismissed reports that he is planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Allied People’s Movement (APM) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Naija News reports that Adelabu made the clarification in a statement issued on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State, by his media aide, Femi Awogboro.

The statement followed reports alleging that Adelabu’s personal assistant, Ajiboye Akande, had held talks with members of the APM as part of moves to facilitate the former minister’s defection.

Reacting to the speculation, Adelabu described the claim as false and unfounded, insisting that neither he nor his aide was involved in any plan to leave the ruling party.

“He remains a committed member of the APC and continues to hold the President and National Leader of the party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the highest regard as his political mentor,” the statement said.

The former minister also reaffirmed his confidence in the APC leadership and pledged to abide by legitimate decisions taken by the party.

It added, “Chief Adelabu believes in the party, respects its leadership, and remains committed to the democratic process. Given his well-known decency and integrity in politics, he is always prepared to respect the legitimate decisions of the party’s national leadership.”

Adelabu urged members of the public and his supporters to disregard the defection reports, describing them as an attempt to create unnecessary political confusion.

 

-Source: Politics Nigeria

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FULL LIST: APC Uploads 13 Governorship Candidates to INEC Portal

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections with the submission of nomination details for 13 governorship candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party is working to beat the August 8 deadline set by the electoral body for the submission of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates across the country.

A senior APC official disclosed that the nomination details of the candidates had already been processed and uploaded through INEC’s nomination portal, while documentation for additional candidates was being finalised.

According to the official, the party remains confident that all 28 governorship candidates and their running mates will be successfully submitted before the deadline expires.

Party sources said the APC’s Information and Communication Technology team has been handling the uploading process while ensuring that all required documents meet INEC’s specifications.

However, the party is facing challenges with the submission of candidates for State Houses of Assembly.

The source revealed that technical issues affecting the INEC nomination portal have slowed down the process for the assembly candidates.

Despite the setback, the APC expressed optimism that the problem would be resolved quickly.

“Our ICT team has already scanned and prepared the documents for immediate upload once the issues are resolved,” the official said.

The party maintained that preparations were progressing smoothly in most states despite concerns raised by some aspirants and stakeholders following the outcome of various primaries.

Reacting to reports of dissatisfaction among some party members, APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said efforts were ongoing to reconcile aggrieved stakeholders and strengthen unity within the party.

According to him, the APC reconciliation committee has already commenced engagement with affected members.

“As for the disaffection that the emergence of some of these candidates may have caused, the reconciliation committee is working,” Ibrahim said.

“We are hoping that, at the end of the day, all grievances will be resolved. All the aggrieved parties will come together and forge ahead.”

He stressed that the party remained focused on building a united front ahead of the elections.

Ibrahim also urged candidates to remain committed to the APC’s policies and programmes while taking the message of President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope agenda to voters across the country.

He said party members must work collectively to strengthen the APC’s chances at the polls.

INEC had opened its portal for governorship and State House of Assembly nominations on July 18.

The commission fixed August 8 as the deadline for the submission of candidates’ particulars.

Under the timetable released by the electoral body, personal details of candidates will be published on August 29 to enable public scrutiny.

The deadline for withdrawal and substitution of candidates has been fixed for September 19.

In a related development, the APC recently announced the successful completion of the upload of all its presidential and National Assembly candidates to the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal.

The party described it as a major milestone in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The exercise saw the submission of 471 candidates, including the presidential ticket, Senate candidates and House of Representatives aspirants.

APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, hailed the development and commended party officials involved in the process.

“I congratulate our candidates, leaders, and members of APC on the successful 100% upload of our Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP),” he said.

“With this milestone achieved, our focus now shifts to mobilisation and preparations for a successful campaign and decisive victory at the polls.”

The successful upload also confirmed President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima as the APC presidential ticket for the 2027 election.

The development came shortly after INEC extended the deadline for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates following appeals from some political parties that were unable to meet the initial deadline.

The APC had criticised opposition parties over the extension, insisting that it had completed its submissions before the original closing date.

Recall that INEC later announced an extension of the deadline after receiving requests from political parties through the Inter-Party Advisory Council.

The electoral commission said the decision was taken to allow parties complete their uploads while ensuring broad participation in the electoral process.

Source: Politics Nigeria

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BREAKING: APC Sitting Senator Dumps Party, Joins New Political Party

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APC Schedules July 24 NEC For Ganduje Replacement

The senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Olubiyi Fadeyi, has dumped the All Progressives Congress and returned to the Peoples Democratic Party.

PUNCH Online reports that Fadeyi, alongside four other National Assembly members, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party in July 2025.

He, however, lost the APC ticket to contest the 2027 general election to Mr. Adekunle Adegoke (SAN).

Announcing his return to the PDP during a telephone interview with our correspondent on Thursday, Fadeyi said, “I am back in the PDP led by the FCT Minister, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike. I have already written to the Senate.

“I can also confirm to you that I am the candidate for Osun Central Senatorial District for the 2027 Senate election.”

Stating his reasons for dumping the APC, in his letter to the Senate, Fadeyi referred to how the 2027 National Assembly primary for Osun Central was conducted by the Osun APC.

“I write to formally tender my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), effective immediately. This decision has not been taken lightly. I joined the APC as a progressive party in good faith to support Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in his ancestral home, which falls within my senatorial district, Osun Central.

“Having got assurances and an agreement reached by Mr President to give me the sole ticket to run for the senatorial seat under the APC in Osun Central, which was passed down to our leader of the party by Mr President, I believed that those understandings would be honoured and that the party would uphold the principles of fairness, equity, mutual respect and internal democracy.

“Regrettably, recent developments from the leadership of the APC in Osun State have created serious trust issues within the party and made my continued membership of the party untenable. It was expressly agreed that the process for selecting candidates would be conducted on the basis of consensus. However, no consensus process was genuinely conducted, nor were party primaries held in a transparent and acceptable manner.

“This departure from our collective understanding has eroded confidence and undermined trust within the party. Furthermore, the manner in which decisions were taken appeared to disregard the authority and leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose commitment to due process, party cohesion and democratic values is well known,” Fadeyi’s letter to the Senate President partly read.

He also expressed concern over the decision to hand return tickets to the other colleagues — a serving senator and three House of Representatives members — who defected with him, while denying him the 2027 ticket.

He said the decision to dump the APC was not in opposition to Tinubu but was informed by his conviction that democratic principles, mutual trust and respect for agreements must always prevail.

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