The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged residents of Rivers State to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, arguing that continuity in government would help sustain Nigeria’s economic recovery efforts.
Wike made the appeal during a Rainbow Coalition town hall meeting in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State, where he addressed supporters, traditional rulers and political stakeholders.
He defended the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, describing them as necessary measures to address the country’s economic challenges and calling on Nigerians to allow the policies more time to deliver results.
“Only the continuation of the economic reforms initiated by the Tinubu government can bring this country back from the economic comatose it was in before this present administration took over,” Wike said.
Recalling his political position ahead of the 2023 general election, the minister said he had urged the people to support the direction he considered necessary for the country, despite concerns about the potential difficulties.
He argued that the 2027 presidential election would be an important opportunity for Nigerians to assess the administration’s economic policies and decide whether to support their continuation.
Wike also criticised opposition politicians, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, questioning their political ambitions and approaches to national leadership.
He urged voters not to entrust the country’s future to politicians he described as political gamblers, arguing that leadership decisions should be based on governance records and policy direction.
The minister also challenged former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to account for his administration’s management of state resources between 2007 and 2015, as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections gather momentum.
Wike further explained that the Rainbow Coalition’s political strategy involved mobilising support for candidates aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC), including those seeking election to the Senate and House of Representatives.
He argued that cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government was important to implementing the President’s policy agenda.
The minister called on party leaders and community mobilisers to intensify their grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections, which are scheduled for 2027.
Earlier, during a visit to the palace of the Oba of Ogba Land, Nwachukwu Obuoha-Obi III, in Omoku, Wike appealed to traditional rulers to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He acknowledged that traditional rulers were expected to remain non-partisan but argued that political decisions had implications for peace, economic welfare and infrastructure development in their communities.
The monarch, Obuoha-Obi, welcomed the minister and expressed support for the President’s leadership, saying that backing development-oriented initiatives was important for the progress of the people.
He also highlighted the importance of political representation and economic development in promoting national unity and sustainable progress in Ogbaland.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of ONELGA, Dr Chukwu Shedrack, commended Wike for development projects undertaken in the council during his political career, citing road construction, hospital upgrades and human capital development.
Shedrack also expressed support for the Tinubu administration’s economic recovery agenda and pledged to mobilise voters across the local government area for APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.
He said the mobilisation would extend across wards and polling units, with the aim of securing support for the party’s candidates at presidential, National Assembly and state House of Assembly levels.
