Nyesom Wike, Nigeria’s minister for the federal capital territory, has said he has weathered sustained political threats in Rivers State since 2023, insisting that no rival force can dislodge his camp after it backed Bola Tinubu in the presidential election.
Speaking on Saturday during a thank-you visit to the Port Harcourt local government secretariat, Wike struck a defiant tone, telling party leaders, traditional rulers, women and youth groups that his political family had stood firm despite intimidation and attacks following its decision to support the All Progressives Congress candidate, who went on to win the presidency.
“Nobody in this state can push us out,” Wike said. “We have led this war since 2023. We have never reneged. There were no threats that didn’t come, and we stood firm.”
The former Rivers governor has been touring the state’s 23 local government areas to express gratitude for support in the 2023 elections and to rally continued backing for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 polls. He said his allies had paid a heavy price for their early loyalty to the president and his “Renewed Hope” agenda, arguing that Rivers remained a dependable base for Tinubu.
Wike accused some politicians who opposed Tinubu during the election of attempting to appropriate the Renewed Hope slogan after the fact, warning that such manoeuvres would fail.
“If there is one state that the president knows he can go home and sleep with his two eyes closed, it is Rivers state,” he said. “In 2023, we led the war here. From the beginning, we are the people of the Renewed Hope family.”
Taking aim at those who supported opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar, Wike mocked what he described as their belated claims to leadership within the ruling project. “Those who were not there then … now want to lead the Renewed Hope agenda. Is it possible? You failed,” he said.
He likened the situation to guests arriving only after a meal has been prepared. “You didn’t buy the pepper, the salt or the oil. Suddenly the food is done and you say you want to eat first. Is that possible?” he asked.
Describing Port Harcourt as a cosmopolitan city where electoral victories are hard-won, Wike said success there carried particular political weight. He also claimed Rivers was unique in its ability to bring together leaders of the two dominant parties to work in tandem, a strategy he said helped secure Tinubu’s victory.
“This is the only state where you can see the two major political parties working together,” he said, urging others to “learn from us, not hate us.”
Wike concluded by calling on political leaders in Rivers to remain united, warning that leadership was not a permanent entitlement and that effective leaders must be open to criticism and change. He praised the Port Harcourt council leadership for its cooperation and urged it to sustain the approach in pursuit of further results.
