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By Godswill Michael
The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his prediction that the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, would be defeated by noon on election day.
The ADC said Wike could not determine the outcome of the 2027 election in advance, insisting that Rivers voters would decide the winner and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would declare the results.
The state chairman of the party, Chukwudi Dimkpa, stated this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday, in reaction to comments attributed to Wike during a civic reception organised in his honour at Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area, on Saturday.
Wike had reportedly told supporters at the reception that Amaechi would be defeated by 12 noon on election day, as he backed candidates of the Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dimkpa dismissed the declaration, saying electoral victory could not be secured through political intimidation or claims made before voters cast their ballots.
“Elections are not won by boasts, intimidation or political strongmen announcing results in advance. Rivers people will vote, the votes will be counted, and INEC, not Wike will declare the winner,” he said.
The ADC chairman also accused Wike and the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, of turning a civic reception into an opportunity to attack Amaechi at a time when the former Rivers governor was mourning his mother, Dame Ezinne Amaechi.
According to Dimkpa, Amaechi was burying his mother in his hometown, Ubima, on Saturday, while people from different parts of Nigeria travelled to the community to sympathise with his family.
He alleged that Wike and Wobodo chose the same route and period to hold the reception, resulting in traffic obstruction before the event allegedly became a platform for political attacks against Amaechi.
“On a day when Rotimi Amaechi was burying his mother and people from across Nigeria were travelling to Ubima, his hometown, to commiserate with the family, Wike and the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, chose that same route and occasion for a political reception, obstructing part of the road, creating unnecessary traffic and then turning the event into a platform for attacking and taunting a man who was mourning his mother.
“It was insensitive, provocative and embarrassing,” Dimkpa said.
The ADC chairman said the incident demonstrated what he described as an unhealthy political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi.
He said political differences should not override basic human considerations, particularly during a period of mourning.
“There is always a time for politics and there is a time for humanity,” Dimkpa said.
He added, “If Wike could not suspend his political obsession with Amaechi even for the few hours in which the man was laying his mother to rest, then Rivers people should ask themselves who really is consumed by this rivalry.”
Dimkpa said the ADC deliberately refrained from responding to Wike’s remarks on Saturday because its attention was focused on Amaechi’s mother’s burial.
“We refused to dignify the provocation with a response that day because our attention was on giving Mama (Dame Ezinne Amaechi) a befitting burial,” he said.
However, he warned Wike against assuming control over the political choices of Rivers residents, saying neither politicians nor political groups could claim ownership of the electorate.
“Wike should understand that Rivers State belongs to all of us. Nobody owns the people, nobody owns their votes, and certainly, nobody can declare an election result by 12 noon,” Dimkpa said.
The ADC chairman urged Rivers residents to resist intimidation as the 2027 election approaches and to focus on choosing leaders based on their credibility and capacity to improve their lives.
He said the electorate should use the election to make an independent choice rather than allow political strongmen to dictate the outcome.