BREAKING: Wike Breaks Silence on ADC Primary, Explains Why Amaechi Had No Chance Against Atiku

Please Kindly Pay Attention: If you’re reading on PHOENIX, please click the “Read Original” button at the top right to view the full article.

According to a report by The Punch on Monday, June 1, 2026, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has declared that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi was destined to lose the African Democratic Congress presidential primary.

Reacting to the election outcome during his monthly media chat in Abuja, Wike unveiled how the internal leadership structure of the ADC was strategically designed to favour former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 ticket.

Wike described the political framework as “Atiku’s set-up 100 per cent,” pointing specifically to the emergence of former Senate President David Mark as the party’s chairman.

According to the minister, this leadership choice signaled a compromised process. He accused Mark of failing to provide a level playing field during the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party primary and claimed the same tactics were deployed here.

“When I saw that he was running with them, I knew what would happen,” Wike stated, adding that he would have warned his former ally against entering the race.

He argued that Amaechi miscalculated the political climate by rushing into the contest, swayed by public criticism of the current Tinubu administration.

The ADC primary concluded with Atiku securing the presidential ticket with 1,846,370 votes, defeating Amaechi, who gained 504,117 votes, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who finished third.

Following the declaration, Amaechi rejected the results, describing the process as “concocted” and alleging widespread voter prevention.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, also dumped the party, accusing leadership of rigging the primary.

While Atiku has initiated reconciliation meetings with both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to restore party cohesion, Wike insists that the structure made transparency completely impossible from the start.