By Stella Odueme
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged the people of Rivers State to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, describing the president’s economic reforms as critical to Nigeria’s full economic recovery.
Wike made the appeal at a Rainbow Coalition town hall meeting in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State, where he addressed supporters, traditional rulers and political stakeholders.
He maintained that sustaining the policies of the Tinubu administration was necessary to consolidate the country’s economic progress, insisting that the difficult decisions taken since the president assumed office were needed to address the challenges inherited by the government.
According to him, his political position ahead of the 2023 general elections has been justified by developments under the current administration.
“Only the continuation of the economic reforms initiated by the Tinubu government can bring this country back from the economic comatose it was in before this present administration took over,” he said.
Wike recalled urging the people to support the direction he had advocated in 2023, adding that the outcome had shown that the decision was the right one.
He urged Nigerians to be wary of politicians seeking power without a clear commitment to national development, arguing that the 2027 election would determine whether the country sustains its current economic reform agenda.
The minister specifically criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his repeated presidential ambitions, warning that voters should not entrust the country’s future to politicians he described as political gamblers.
“Do not put your destiny into the hands of political gamblers or kalo-kalo players,” Wike said.
He also criticised former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, dismissing some of his public engagements as political activities designed to attract attention rather than demonstrate a clear governance direction.
Wike maintained that consistency and a demonstrable record of leadership should guide voters’ decisions, declaring that Tinubu had shown a clear direction for the country.
The FCT minister also challenged former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who governed the state from 2007 to 2015, to account for his administration’s management of public resources before seeking further political office.
He argued that politicians who had previously held public office should be assessed on their performance and achievements.
“If I come now to campaign, you must ask me: the one we gave you before, how far?” he said.
Explaining the political strategy behind the Rainbow Coalition, Wike called for coordinated support for Tinubu and candidates aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
He said cooperation between the executive and the National Assembly was important to the implementation of the president’s economic policies, urging voters to support APC-aligned candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives.
Wike also charged party leaders and community mobilisers to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the election.
“I want total mobilisation on the 16th of January 2027. Everybody mobilised—make sure we vote and win decisively to protect our collective future,” he said.
Earlier, during a visit to the palace of the Oba of Ogba Land, Nwachukwu Obuoha-Obi III, in Omoku, Wike appealed to traditional rulers to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He acknowledged that traditional rulers were expected to remain non-partisan but argued that political decisions had direct consequences for the peace, economic welfare and infrastructure development of their communities.
The minister said the visit was intended to engage grassroots communities and traditional institutions on the political choices ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding, Obuoha-Obi expressed support for Tinubu’s leadership, describing the president’s re-election as important to the political representation and development of Ogbaland.
The monarch cautioned against opposing initiatives that could benefit the people, stressing the need for unity and collective progress.
Also speaking, the Chairman of ONELGA Local Government Area, Dr Chukwu Shedrack, commended Wike for development projects executed in the council during his tenure as governor, including road construction, hospital upgrades and human capital development initiatives.
Shedrack said the local government had mobilised support for Tinubu and APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
He pledged that ONELGA would deliver overwhelming support for the party across elective positions, from the presidency to the National Assembly and state House of Assembly.
“Your Excellency, we are fully mobilised, ward by ward, unit by unit. Come the 2027 general elections, ONELGA people will deliver 100 per cent, from President to National Assembly and House of Assembly—no vote will drop,” he said.