FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has has said that President Bola Tinubu is the only presidential candidate can win Rivers State in the 2027 general elections.
Wike who spoke on Tuesday during a chat with journalists stated that despite Atiku Abubakar fielding former governor of Rivers State, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate, the All Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate or any other candidate will not make any strong showing in the Niger Delta State.
According to him, “If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can count Rivers is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I’m not talking because I want to talk; I’m talking as a political realist because I know my people.”
Wike who is the immediate past governor of Rivers State insisted, why answering questions from journalists during his monthly media chat that politicians from different political parties had formed a broad coalition to support President Tinubu’s re-election while working together for the interest of Rivers State.
He said that, the alliance includes members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP), the Action Alliance (AA) and other political groups.
“Today, we have PDP, APC, Labour Party, AA all together. We have candidates across different political parties for the House of Assembly and National Assembly. We will support the candidate who is most acceptable. Whoever emerges should not be seen as APC or PDP; the person should be seen as the coalition’s candidate.”
“All we are doing is for one purpose, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is all-inclusive and it is spreading like wildfire,”
The minister, however, dismissed claims that the coalition was aimed at strengthening any particular political party, insisting that its priority was to ensure Rivers State continued to benefit from the federal government.
“For me, what matters is Rivers State. If Rivers State is relevant because projects are coming and people are benefiting from government, then I am satisfied. It is not about personal ambition; it is about the interest of the state,” he said.
Wike said his years in public office had given him a deep understanding of politics and leadership.
“I have been in politics since 1999. Nobody can teach me politics or tell me how to navigate it. Politics is about leadership and understanding the interests of your people,” he said.
The FCT minister also recalled the 2019 governorship election in Rivers State, alleging that the state witnessed an overwhelming deployment of federal security forces during the poll.
“I saw what federal might means. Military personnel came with battalions as if Rivers State was at war. We survived it by the grace of God and fought back,” he said.