THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that the people of Rivers State will not repeat what he described as a leadership mistake in the 2027 general elections, warning that political loyalty and rhetoric alone will no longer guarantee electoral support.
News Point Nigeria reports that Wike made the remarks on Tuesday during a thank-you visit to the people of Khana in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, where he addressed party supporters, traditional leaders and residents.
Although the former Rivers governor insisted that the visit was not a political rally, his comments carried clear political undertones as he spoke about leadership, loyalty and future elections in the state.
“As for the state, we will talk about that later. You know what I mean. We will not make a mistake again,” Wike said.
“How you know, in the first one you have done, have you said thank you? So if you make another mistake, that means they will drive you out here,” he added.
In an apparent reference to the internal political crisis that has rocked Rivers State since 2023, Wike warned that political slogans and claims of entitlement would not secure any candidate an automatic ticket in future elections.
“So, don’t bother yourself. If you like, shout mandate 20 times. Your ticket is not automatic. We have shouted mandate since 2023, so it’s no longer new for us. If you like, shout as much as you want,” he said.
Though Wike did not mention Governor Siminalayi Fubara by name, his remarks came against the backdrop of a prolonged power struggle between the two men over control of the state’s political structure.
That feud escalated into a major political crisis which led to Governor Fubara’s suspension and a presidential declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State — a measure that was eventually lifted in September 2025.
The FCT minister had earlier reinforced the same message during his end-of-year media parley on Monday, where he stated that Governor Fubara’s recent support for President Bola Tinubu, following his reported defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in early December, did not automatically secure him a second-term ticket.
“So many people think that when you sing ‘on your mandate we stand’, that gives you an automatic ticket. No, it doesn’t give anybody ticket,” Wike said.
“You have to work. You have to earn the ticket for you to present to your people.”
Addressing supporters in Khana, Wike urged residents to look beyond party affiliations and align themselves with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, insisting that political divisions based on party labels were no longer relevant.
“For us, there’s nothing like APC or PDP; what we have is Renewed Hope,” he said.
“We’re not voting based on party but on the fact that we belong to one political family, which is the Renewed Hope family. Just follow your leaders. Anywhere you see them going, that is where we are going.”
Wike expressed gratitude to the people of Khana for their support during the 2023 elections, describing their backing of Tinubu at the time as a difficult and risky political decision.
He noted that the local government had benefited from that support, citing federal appointments, infrastructure development, and key policy decisions.
“During the turbulent period, Khana stood with us and now you have benefited from good roads to the Federal University of Environment, among other benefits because of the love of Mr President,” he said.
He also referenced the presidential pardon granted to the Ogoni Nine, as well as several appointments given to indigenes of Ogoniland, assuring the people that more benefits were on the way.
“So many appointments have come to Ogoniland and more are coming,” Wike added.
While the minister maintained that his visit was not political, his statements suggest that the battle for Rivers’ political future is far from over.