By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ruled out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a possible winner of the 2027 presidential election.
Wike, who described the 2023 presidential candidate as a serial opposition person and loser, said the 2027 presidency will not be won by him.
He asked the African Democratic Congress (ADC) stalwart to present his eight-year scorecard from when he served as vice president to former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, saying, “2027 is not available for Atiku.”
The former vice president has run for the number one office six times, appearing on the ballot as a presidential candidate on three occasions — 2007, 2019, and 2023.
Wike’s position stemmed from the former VP’s remarks during an interview on Arise News TV’s Prime Time programme, on Wednesday, where he discredited TInubu’s administration for not doing well.
“Atiku is a serial failure, there is a certain age you will reach in life, you will be able to say, look, at my level, this government has done well in this area, this government has not done well in this area. But it will be very wrong, and Nigerians would be laughing at such a person making that kind of statement that nothing has been done.
“I am sure he lives in FCT, let him compare FCT now and when he was the Vice President for eight years and now, that we are just in government for almost three years. Can he compare what is FCT today and what it was when he was VP?
“So, I don’t know who is the one that told him that this government has not achieved anything. I would be surprised if he said this government has achieved a lot. He is a serial opposition person, there’s nothing we can do about it.
“It is unfortunate for him. But let him leave this 2027, it is not available for him. I believe by 2031, he should be 82 years old. I don’t know. We would encourage him to run. Even if he doesn’t want to run, I would encourage him to run. That is my position”
Wike, who was fielding questions from journalists after inspecting the ongoing Abuja Airport dual carriageway to Kuje, and Kuje -Gwagwalada Road, commended the contractors for quality job.
He said the roads, according to the contractors will be handed over before the end of May, 2026.
