Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized the internal structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claiming it was obvious from the beginning that the party’s presidential primary would not be transparent or fair.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike said former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, made a mistake by contesting the ADC presidential primary ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to Wike, the arrangement within the party appeared to favor former Vice President Atiku Abubakar long before voting began.
He said his assessment was based on his experience in Nigerian politics and his knowledge of some of the individuals involved in the party’s leadership.
“When I saw the setup in ADC and saw David Mark there, I laughed,” Wike said.
According to Channels Television, he argued that the emergence of former Senate President David Mark as chairman of the party signaled what he described as a predetermined outcome in favor of Atiku.
Wike revealed that he would have advised Amaechi not to participate in the contest if the former governor had sought his opinion.
Describing Amaechi as a political ally and brother, he said the former governor was persuaded to join the race by critics of the current administration who promised a different political experience.
The minister also accused David Mark of failing to ensure a level playing field during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary in 2022, where both Wike and Atiku were contenders.
His comments came after Amaechi rejected the outcome of the ADC primary, alleging that the process lacked transparency and fairness.
Despite the objections, the party declared Atiku Abubakar winner of the election with 1,846,370 votes, while Amaechi secured 504,117 votes. Businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen finished third with 177,120 votes.
