2027: ‘Forget Rivers, Only Tinubu Can Win Here’, Wike Challenges Opposition

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that opposition politicians should not count on Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently the only presidential candidate capable of securing the state’s votes. Wike made the declaration on Tuesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

The former Rivers State governor said the political landscape in the oil-rich state had changed significantly, with politicians across different parties working together under a broad-based coalition. According to him, the arrangement transcends conventional party loyalties and is primarily driven by what he described as the interests of Rivers State.

Wike specifically pointed to the involvement of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), Action Alliance (AA) and other political platforms in the emerging political structure. He said the coalition would support candidates considered acceptable and capable, irrespective of the political party on whose platform they originally emerged.

The FCT minister, however, said one decision had already been taken by the coalition — support for Tinubu’s bid for a second term as president. He maintained that the coalition’s activities in Rivers were not necessarily an indication that its members had formally joined the APC, but rather reflected what he described as a strategic decision based on the state’s interests.

“Forget Rivers,” Wike said in substance, arguing that anyone calculating Rivers State’s presidential votes should remove them from their projections unless they are counting on Tinubu. He expressed confidence that the political structure supporting the president had become sufficiently broad to give Tinubu a strong advantage in the state.

Wike linked his political position to what he described as the benefits Rivers State is receiving from the Federal Government. He said his priority was the development and relevance of the state, adding that he was satisfied when federal projects and other government interventions translate into tangible benefits for Rivers residents.

The minister also defended his broader approach to the 2027 political contest, arguing that politics is fundamentally a struggle for power. In a separate part of the media parley, he rejected criticism that the Tinubu administration was deliberately weakening opposition parties, saying it would be unrealistic to expect a sitting president to strengthen politicians seeking to defeat him at the polls.

Wike’s comments came against the backdrop of Tinubu’s recent remarks on the intensifying political contest ahead of the 2027 general elections. The president had said he was prepared for the battle for another term and would not make it easy for opponents seeking to remove him from office.

The Rivers political equation is particularly significant because of the state’s long-standing importance in Nigeria’s presidential contests and Wike’s continued influence in its political affairs. Wike recalled his experience during the 2019 governorship election, when he said federal security forces were heavily deployed in the state, describing the experience as evidence of the intensity of political contests in Rivers.

With the 2027 elections approaching, Wike’s latest declaration is likely to further sharpen the political battle over Rivers State. While his comments represent his assessment of the current political terrain rather than an electoral outcome, they underline the growing importance of cross-party alliances and the struggle by competing political forces to secure the state’s presidential votes. The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, with governorship and State House of Assembly elections to follow on February 6.