The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying he will resign from office if the President loses in both Rivers State and the FCT.
Wike made the declaration on Friday during a strategic consultative meeting with stakeholders of the Akpor Kingdom in the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said his political activities in Rivers were aimed at mobilising support and promoting what he described as the collective interest of the people.
“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 said.
The FCT Minister reiterated that he would take responsibility for the outcome of the 2027 presidential election in the two territories, saying his continued stay in office would depend on the result.
“If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister. By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT,” he said.
Wike, who was Governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, said political actors should prioritise collective interests over longstanding disagreements.
“There is no permanent enemy in politics; what we have is permanent collective interest,” he said.
He said expanding political participation was necessary to achieve what he described as democratic dividends, adding that effective leadership required the ability to accommodate both criticism and support.
“Leadership is like a waste dustbin. If you cannot absorb things, both the good and the bad, then you cannot be a true leader,” he said.
Reflecting on his appointment as FCT Minister, Wike described his working relationship with President Tinubu as a development that had defied previous 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 leaders and community stakeholders in Obio-Akpor to work across different sections of the community ahead of the elections.
He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders and political actors to participate in the electoral process.
“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,” he said.
“For the purpose of voting and elections, we must bring everyone together,” he stated.
Wike also referred to his tenure as the first elected chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government to serve a second term, saying his re-election at the time was influenced by his relationship with residents and the impact of his administration.
He urged local political leaders to strengthen their grassroots engagement and maintain contact with residents ahead of the 2027 elections.
The minister identified Wards 15, 16 and 17 in Obio-Akpor as areas he considered important to the electoral contest and called for greater mobilisation across 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 utilise them to make that difference,” he said.
Wike further urged local leaders to engage voters across the communities, including family members, neighbours and other residents, as part of their grassroots mobilisation efforts.
He also said he would continue to monitor the activities of elected council officials in Rivers State and speak out on issues affecting the electorate.
Wike was accompanied by the Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, and other political leaders.
