The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu is the only presidential candidate capable of winning Rivers State in the 2027 general election.
NEWSNGR reports that Wike said political parties and candidates making projections for the presidential poll should exclude Rivers State from their calculations unless they were counting votes for Tinubu.
The former Rivers State governor spoke on Tuesday during the August edition of his monthly media chat in Abuja.
Wike said, “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.”
The FCT minister disclosed that politicians from different political parties had formed a broad alliance to support Tinubu’s re-election and advance the interests of Rivers State.
According to him, the coalition comprises members of the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party, the Action Alliance and other political groups.
Wike said, “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.”
He said the alliance would assess candidates based on their acceptability rather than their party affiliations.
‘Coalition Spreading Like Wildfire’
Wike maintained that the coalition’s principal objective was to secure victory for Tinubu in Rivers State.
“All we are doing is for one purpose, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is all-inclusive, and it is spreading like wildfire,” he stated.
The minister dismissed suggestions that the alliance was created to promote the interests of a particular political party.
He said his priority was ensuring that Rivers remained politically relevant and continued to attract federal projects and other benefits.
Wike further stated, “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.”
‘Nobody Can Teach Me Politics’
Wike said his experience in public office and partisan politics had equipped him with a strong understanding of political leadership and grassroots interests.
He declared, “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.”
The former governor maintained that his influence in Rivers was based on the confidence residents had in his leadership and political judgment.
The FCT minister also reflected on the 2019 governorship election in Rivers State, alleging that the Federal Government deployed a large number of security personnel during the poll.
He added, “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.”
