Amaechi challenges Wike on Atiku’s Rivers campaign rally

Rotimi Amaechi has challenged Nyesom Wike and Rivers State authorities to provide a venue for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign rally, as political groups aligned with the FCT minister mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu in Rivers.

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has challenged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Rivers State authorities to provide a venue for an African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign rally, expressing confidence that Atiku Abubakar would win the state in the 2027 election.

“Atiku will come to Rivers State. Tell them to give us a venue,” he said, adding that the opposition party’s supporters could fill a large-capacity facility.

His remarks came ahead of Saturday’s rally at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, organised by the Rainbow Coalition, an alliance of politicians from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

As PREMIUM TIMES previously reported, Mr Wike’s coalition has endorsed the president while backing candidates from both parties for other elective offices.

Mr Wike said on Friday that organisers expected at least 70,000 people at the president’s rally. That was his projected turnout, not an independently verified attendance figure.

Speaking during an inspection of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, he said the facility had a seating capacity of 40,000, compared with 16,000 at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, where the coalition had previously unveiled its candidates.

Mr Amaechi, who governed Rivers between 2007 and 2015, did not identify a formal application the ADC submitted for a campaign venue or say any facility had refused the party access.

His challenge comes against a history of disruptions involving ADC activities in the state.

In March, PREMIUM TIMES reported that suspected political thugs disrupted an ADC women’s gathering in Eleme Local Government Area, destroying equipment and dispersing participants.

The report also referred to an earlier attack on the party’s ward secretariat in Ubima, Mr Amaechi’s hometown, where gunmen allegedly attempted to block his convoy during a registration exercise.

Those incidents did not establish that the Rivers State Government had refused the ADC access to a campaign venue.

Mr Wike and Mr Amaechi have remained political rivals since the former succeeded the latter as governor in 2015.

At the Rainbow Coalition’s October unveiling, Mr Wike criticised his predecessor’s record in office and questioned his administration’s handling of public projects and funds.

The former governor made his latest comments during a wider Mainland 98.3 FM interview covering the ADC leadership dispute, the 2027 presidential campaign and the party’s economic proposals.

PREMIUM TIMES sought clarification from Mr Amaechi on whether the ADC had formally requested a campaign venue in Rivers, which facility it intended to use and whether any request had been rejected.

His campaign spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, confirmed that the questions had been forwarded to Mr Amaechi. A response was still being awaited at the time of filing.