2027: Atiku, Amaechi, Obi will play ‘kalokalo’ with your destiny, Wike tells Rivers electorate
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has warned the people of Rivers State that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and Mr Peter Obi will play "kalokalo" with their destiny,…
Nyesom Wike, a former Rivers State governor who now serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under President Bola Tinubu, remains a dominant and polarising figure in Rivers politics despite his federal appointment. His relationship with Atiku Abubakar and the PDP soured after the 2023 presidential election, when Wike openly backed Tinubu instead of his own party's candidate, while his rivalry with Rotimi Amaechi, a fellow Rivers politico and former minister, dates back over a decade of contesting control of the state's political structure. Peter Obi, the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, remains a key opposition voice ahead of 2027.
The term "kalokalo," derived from a popular Yoruba expression, is commonly used in Nigerian political discourse to accuse politicians of gambling recklessly with the public's trust or future for personal gain. Wike's remarks signal an early positioning for the 2027 general election, with the coverage across Vanguard, Leadership and BusinessDay converging on his call for Rivers voters to back Tinubu's re-election bid while dismissing Atiku, Amaechi and Obi as untrustworthy alternatives. None of the reports detail a direct response from the three men named, nor specifics of any new political alliance Wike may be building in Rivers State.