The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has alleged that the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was deliberately designed to favour former Vice President in the party’s 2027 presidential primary.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike said it was evident from the composition of the party’s leadership that former Rivers State Governor stood little chance of securing the ADC presidential ticket.
According to the minister, the emergence of former Senate President as chairman of the party signalled that the process would favour Atiku.
“When I saw the set-up in ADC and saw David Mark there, I knew what would happen. That arrangement was Atiku’s set-up one hundred per cent,” Wike said.
He added that if Amaechi had sought his advice before entering the race, he would have cautioned him against participating, arguing that the process lacked the transparency and fairness expected in a democratic contest.
“Amaechi is my brother. I served as Chief of Staff in his administration. If he had consulted me, I would have advised him not to go there because it was clear he would not get a transparent process,” he stated.
Wike further accused the ADC leadership of creating a structure that made a free and fair primary election impossible, noting that experienced politicians could easily identify the political interests behind such arrangements.
The FCT minister also suggested that Amaechi was influenced by criticisms of President ’s administration and was persuaded to join the race by individuals seeking political relevance.
“I think my brother made a mistake. He was in too much of a hurry and was carried away by people claiming the government was not performing well,” Wike said.
The minister revisited grievances from the 2022 presidential primary , alleging that David Mark failed to ensure a level playing field in the contest that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
Wike’s remarks came days after Amaechi rejected the outcome of the ADC presidential primary, describing the exercise as manipulated and lacking the transparency promised by the party. The former governor alleged that several party members were prevented from voting during the exercise.
Despite the objections, the ADC declared Atiku the winner of the primary and its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. According to the party, Atiku polled 1,846,370 votes to defeat Amaechi, who secured 504,117 votes, while businessman came third with 177,120 votes.
Meanwhile, Atiku has reportedly held separate meetings with Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen in an effort to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen party unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
