Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has appealed to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s supporters to join forces with his political faction and deliver massive votes for President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Wike assured that a strong electoral showing from the state could pave the way for increased federal appointments and greater infrastructure development.
He made the appeal on Monday in Port Harcourt during a meeting with Fubara’s loyalists and youth leaders, aiming to bridge the gap between the state’s warring political camps ahead of the polls.
The minister asserted that if Rivers State emerges among the top three contributors of votes for Tinubu, it will secure greater representation within the federal administration.
“All I want to hear in this state is Tinubu and nothing but Tinubu. If we play the role we are playing now, and we are one of the first three states that get the highest number of votes, we will get more of the appointments.”
As proof of the Tinubu administration’s dedication to the state, Wike mentioned infrastructure projects like the Bonny Road and federal positions previously made to Rivers indigenous people.
He emphasized that reconciliation was essential to bolstering the state’s standing in national politics and urged irate political players to set aside their disagreements.
“We are talking for survival and growth,” he said, urging grassroots youth leaders to return to their respective local government areas and begin preparations for the forthcoming campaigns.
“I am not going to be governor again; this is for your own interest. I want this state to grow. I want this state to play an important role in the politics of Nigeria,” he added.
Fubara’s supporters, pledge loyalty to Wike, Rainbow Coalition
Speaking on behalf of Fubara’s supporters earlier, Ezebunwo Ichemati, a former mayor of Port Harcourt, promised their allegiance to Wike and the Rainbow Coalition, including its strategy to rally support for Tinubu’s reelection.
Ichemati asserted that Fubara was aware of and in favor of the meeting, characterizing it as a crucial step in settling the political disagreements between Wike’s followers and the governor’s camp.
He suggested that in order to fortify the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections, grassroots young leaders who had previously been split by the political crises would now collaborate.
“What you see here today will transform into a force that will deliver,” he said.
Backstory…
The latest appeal by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to supporters of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to back President Bola Tinubu in 2027 follows Wike’s growing efforts to build a cross-party political alliance under the Rainbow Coalition to secure the president’s re-election.
Wike publicly promoted the idea of a broader Rainbow Coalition in August 2026, following a meeting between Tinubu and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He described the political realignments as part of an emerging alliance that would bring politicians from different parties together to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Furthermore, in September, Wike reiterated that the coalition was mobilising for Tinubu’s re-election, not necessarily for the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that politicians could support the president while retaining their party affiliations
Read Also: Wike Declares Himself Tinubu’s FCT Campaign Commander
