The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that leading Nigeria requires courage, political experience and a demonstrable record of performance, rather than sentiment, as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the remarks on Thursday during an interactive town hall meeting with community and religious leaders, political stakeholders, youths, women and other support groups in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, southern Nigeria.
The minister reaffirmed his commitment to coordinating President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Rivers State and the FCT, saying his priority was to secure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
Responding to criticism over his dual roles as a cabinet member and campaign coordinator, Wike maintained that his political responsibilities would not prevent him from discharging his duties as minister.
“Being Asiwaju’s coordinator does not mean that I will resign as minister. That does not make sense. I cannot ask people to support me and then abandon my responsibility. Does that make sense?” he said.
“We have reached a resolution today. We will win, and we will win convincingly,” Wike stated.
Turning to opposition figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, the minister urged Nigerians to assess presidential aspirants based on their records in public office.
He questioned the contributions of former government officials who had occupied senior executive positions, arguing that aspirants should demonstrate what they had achieved before seeking higher office.
“Look at the period between 1999 and 2007. Look at the former president and the former vice-president,” he said.
“The vice-president was not just an ordinary vice-president; he was a powerful one who had considerable responsibilities and influence over government affairs, organisations, companies and industries.
“Can anybody tell me what impact Atiku Abubakar made? Atiku, you want people to vote for you, but you cannot simply ask people to vote for you without showing them what you have done. Where is your report card? Or should I show you your report card?” Wike asked.
The minister also defended his administration’s record as former Rivers State governor, challenging the state’s 23 local government areas across the three senatorial districts to identify communities where they believed his projects had made no impact.
“I challenge the 23 local government areas in Rivers State to come forward and say that there has been no impact in their area.
“Whether you are from Eleme, Ogu, Ogu-Bolo, Gokana or anywhere else, tell me if you have not seen the impact of what we have done,” he said.
Wike urged voters to consider the records and performance of political aspirants as they prepare to make decisions in the 2027 elections, cautioning against relying solely on emotions or political rhetoric.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the Zonal Director of the Post Primary Schools Board, Dr Chimereze Nwaorgu, expressed support for Wike, invoking a biblical pledge to underline the community’s commitment.
“Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay,” Nwaorgu said.
He commended the minister for what he described as his contributions to human capital development, institutional support and administration at local and national levels.
Nwaorgu also highlighted Wike’s role in facilitating federal appointments and supporting educational institutions, saying his interventions had helped build confidence and support peacebuilding initiatives across local government areas in the state.
However, he appealed for further development projects in Oyigbo, including improved hospital facilities, the renovation and upgrading of public schools, the reconstruction of power infrastructure, and programmes to promote youth employment and economic empowerment.
Nwaorgu stressed the importance of continuity and political unity in achieving sustainable development, urging community members and other stakeholders to maintain their engagement in pursuit of the area’s development needs.
