Wike has rallied support for Tinubu and vowed to resign if President loses FCT and Rivers.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his political alignment with President Bola Tinubu and urged political stakeholders in Rivers State to mobilise support for the President ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Wike spoke on Friday during a strategic consultative meeting with stakeholders of the Akpor Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The former Rivers State governor said his involvement in the state’s politics was driven by his desire to contribute to the development of the people rather than personal interests.
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“My interest in Rivers State is for God to use me as a vessel to help our people. I am back here not for what I will get, but for what I will be to raise my people.”
Wike also reiterated his earlier declaration that he would resign as FCT Minister if Tinubu loses the presidential election in both Rivers State and the FCT in 2027. He has said he would announce his resignation on January 17, 2027, if that condition occurs.
The minister said political actors should prioritise collective interests over longstanding disagreements, arguing that expanding political support is necessary to achieve what he described as the dividends of democracy.
“There is no permanent enemy in politics; what we have is permanent collective interest,” Wike said.
“It is all about the interest of our people. The more you are in number, the happier you become. Leadership is like a waste dustbin. If you cannot absorb things, both the good and the bad, then you cannot be a true leader.”
Reflecting on his political journey and subsequent appointment as FCT Minister, Wike described his working relationship with Tinubu as a development that had defied political expectations.
“You know how difficult, you know how impossible it looked, but he made it possible for us to produce the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,” he told the gathering.
Wike also urged political actors in Rivers State not to be distracted by criticism on social media over his willingness to work with former political opponents.
He called for an inclusive political structure in Obio-Akpor, urging traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders and politicians to participate in the mobilisation effort.
“Obio-Akpor as a whole, whether you are a politician, whether you are a traditional ruler, whether you are a pastor, or whether you are a native doctor, I need everybody now,” Wike said.
“Because all of them will vote. For the purpose of voting and elections, we must bring everyone together.”
The minister also drew from his political history as the first elected chairman of Obio-Akpor to win a second term, saying his re-election was influenced by the impact of his administration and his relationship with residents.
“I was not elected two times because I was just Chairman. I was elected because people felt the impact of governance and because I related with the people,” he said.
Wike identified Wards 15, 16 and 17 in Obio-Akpor as important areas in the local government’s electoral mobilisation, noting that the three wards have more than 200 polling units.
“We have over 200 units across three very important wards—Ward 15, Ward 16, and Ward 17. These three wards can defeat ten wards in Obio-Akpor. They are three wards with a difference, and you must utilize them to make that difference,” he said.
He directed local political leaders to deploy unit coordinators and door-to-door canvassers across polling units, while urging them to mobilise their families, relatives, neighbours and other residents ahead of the 2027 election.
Wike further said he would continue to serve as what he described as the state’s “Chief Critic,” with the aim of ensuring elected local government officials remain accountable to the electorate.
The FCT Minister was accompanied by Rivers State APC governorship candidate Kingsley Chinda and other political leaders.
