BREAKING: Amaechi Rejected as Atiku’s 2027 Running Mate

• Excerpt: A fresh crack has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after a political group opposed moves to pair former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi with Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election.

Fresh political tensions have erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the rejection of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as a potential running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The opposition came from the Southern Political Progressives Amalgamation Forum (SPPAF), which argued that Amaechi would do little to strengthen Atiku’s chances of winning the presidency.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Forum’s Convener, Anga Fidelis, alongside two other members, claimed the former Rivers State governor no longer commands significant political influence in his home state.

According to the group, Amaechi would struggle to secure victory even in his hometown of Ikwerre Local Government Area, raising questions about his ability to attract votes across the South.

Fidelis argued that if Amaechi could not deliver votes in his own ward or local government, he would be unable to help Atiku win support across the 17 southern states, comprising the South-South, South-West and South-East geopolitical zones.

“As at today, Amaechi is a political liability and it is a statement of fact that he cannot win his ward in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. When you can’t deliver your ward, how do you deliver your local government and ultimately the state?” he said.

The Forum also warned Atiku to carefully assess the political realities in the Niger Delta before settling on a running mate.

According to Fidelis, while Atiku enjoys longstanding relationships across southern Nigeria, he may not be fully aware of Amaechi’s declining political relevance within the region.

The group further alleged that many people in the Niger Delta still blame Amaechi for his role in the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election.

Fidelis claimed the former minister supported the opposition at the time in pursuit of a ministerial appointment under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, a decision he said many in the region have not forgiven.

“Amaechi’s sins to his people are legendary and only reinforce why he is a political liability. He was instrumental to the defeat of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the first President from the South-South, because of his personal ambition,” he stated.

The Forum maintained that a vice-presidential candidate should complement the presidential flagbearer by bringing electoral value rather than depending solely on the candidate’s popularity.

While acknowledging Amaechi’s extensive political résumé—which includes serving as a two-term governor of Rivers State, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and Minister of Transportation—the group insisted those achievements no longer translate into electoral strength.

“Yes, Amaechi has a rich political pedigree on paper, but today those achievements remain only on paper,” Fidelis said.

The Forum also suggested that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, would welcome another electoral contest against his long-time political rival if Amaechi eventually emerges as Atiku’s running mate.