Southern Nigerian political analysts have warned that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s emergence as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the African Democratic Congress ticket could cost the ex-vice president the 2027 presidential election.
Analysts Say Ex-Rivers Gov Is a Political Liability
Southern Nigerian political analysts have faulted the choice of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the African Democratic Congress ticket, warning it could cost the ex-vice president the 2027 presidential election, Daily Post reports.
Analysts Johnson Iheanacho, Eniafe Ayomide, and Anga Fidelis, in a joint statement on Friday, described Amaechi as a political liability, arguing he cannot even win his own ward in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, let alone deliver the broader Niger Delta region.
“When you can’t deliver your ward, how do you deliver your LGA and ultimately the state?” they asked, adding that Amaechi’s inability to secure support across the Niger Delta’s eight states made his selection politically counterproductive.
The analysts also questioned whether Atiku truly intends to win in 2027, noting that ADC spokesman Kenneth Okonkwo, a Nollywood actor turned politician, had already condemned the Amaechi pick. They stressed that while Atiku is expected to draw strong northern support, he needs a running mate capable of consolidating votes across the South, describing the Amaechi choice as “mission impossible.”
Amaechi had previously run in the ADC presidential primary alongside Atiku before being named as the latter’s running mate, though the party’s formal running mate selection process is yet to be concluded by the electoral umpire.
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