Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 does not mean he will allow the All Progressives Congress to take every elective position in Rivers State.
Wike, who urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties to support Tinubu’s second-term bid, said political negotiations would continue after the presidential election.
Speaking at a meeting with Rivers State stakeholders, the minister said politicians were competing to demonstrate their contributions to Tinubu’s expected victory in order to secure a share of the political benefits.
“There is something going on now, like a competition. Everybody wants to say, ‘Mr President, we are the ones that made you to win. See the number of votes we brought. So, Mr President, this is what we brought, what is our own stake?’ That is the politics we are playing now,” he said.
Wike added, “Everybody in PDP must support Mr President. That’s what we are doing. Everybody will collapse and vote for Mr President.”
However, the former Rivers State governor drew a distinction between his support for Tinubu at the national level and the contest for other elective positions in Rivers State.
He insisted that local political interests would shape decisions in the state, warning against allowing the APC to sweep all available positions.
“But politics is local; we can’t allow them to take everything. I won’t go empty-handed,” Wike said.
His remarks underscore the distinction he is drawing between his alignment with Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election and the struggle for political positions in Rivers State.
The minister’s comments also come amid political tensions involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and rival political camps in the state.
Wike’s position suggests that while he is seeking wider support for Tinubu’s re-election, negotiations over the distribution of political positions in Rivers State remain a separate consideration.