The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can confidently await the outcome of the 2027 presidential election in Rivers State without any fear.
Wike said no individual or group could sideline him or his supporters or stop them from backing Tinubu’s re-election bid in the state.
“These are the foot soldiers of the Renewed Hope family. If there is any state where the President can go home and sleep soundly with both eyes closed, it is Rivers State,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while addressing supporters of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his “thank you” visit to Port Harcourt City Local Government Area on Saturday.
He recalled how Rivers residents stood by him in 2023 to support Tinubu against all odds, stressing that he would not allow late entrants to hijack the credit now that the benefits of that decision were becoming visible.
“In 2023, we led the struggle here. From the start, we embraced the Renewed Hope agenda and made a deliberate decision to support Tinubu,” Wike said.
He criticised those who previously backed Atiku Abubakar but failed to secure significant votes, saying they now wanted to claim leadership of the Renewed Hope movement.
“You were not there from the beginning. You didn’t buy the pepper, the salt, or the oil. Now that the food is ready, you want to eat first. Is that possible? Nobody can push us out of this state,” he stated.
Addressing alleged attempts to distract his supporters, Wike urged them to remain calm, united, and focused on ensuring Tinubu’s re-election.
He said the visit was to appreciate the people for their support in 2023 and encourage continued cooperation, assuring them that 2026 would be better than 2025.
Earlier, the Mayor of Port Harcourt City, Sir Allwell Ihunda, praised Tinubu for ensuring the existence of democratically elected local council chairmen in Rivers State.
Ihunda also commended Wike’s eight-year tenure as governor, noting that he executed several impactful projects that improved residents’ lives.
“We are ready to receive your directives for 2027. Once the directive comes, we will act,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Blessing Amadi, who represents Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency, applauded Wike for promoting women’s inclusion by appointing women as vice chairmen across all local government areas.
“This is the only state that has given women this level of recognition, and we commend you for it,” she said.
Similarly, Mr Smart Adoki, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Port Harcourt II, thanked Wike for taking the political risk of supporting Tinubu in 2023, noting that the state was already enjoying the rewards.
Adoki pledged continued loyalty to Wike, saying the minister still had much to offer the people of Rivers State.
