Wike Tells Fubara Supporters Tinubu’s Second Term Will Deliver More Federal Appointments and Projects to Rivers

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged supporters of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to mobilise votes for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, saying a strong showing at the polls will translate into greater federal benefits for the state.

Speaking on Monday in Port Harcourt during an interactive meeting with Fubara-aligned supporters and youth leaders, Wike said Rivers must rank among the top three states with the highest votes for Tinubu to secure more appointments and infrastructure projects.

“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,” Wike said.

The minister argued that supporting Tinubu’s second-term bid was in the interest of Rivers State, citing federal appointments already given to indigenes and projects such as the Bonny road as evidence of the administration’s commitment.

Wike dismissed suggestions that his political activities were driven by personal ambition, saying his focus was on ensuring Rivers remains influential in national affairs. “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 said.

He urged aggrieved political stakeholders to put past disagreements behind them, stating that reconciliation committees were working to ensure no genuine member was left behind. “We are talking for survival and growth,” Wike added.

The meeting marked a significant step towards reconciling the previously divided Wike and Fubara camps ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Former Port Harcourt Mayor Ezebunwo Ichemati, who spoke on behalf of Fubara’s supporters, pledged the group’s readiness to work with Wike and the Rainbow Coalition to deliver Tinubu and other candidates.

Ichemati described the political crisis that divided the camps as a family dispute now resolved, likening it to children reuniting after parents settle their differences. “Every family has its own peculiarity in problems. What matters most is that the family comes together,” he said.

He said Governor Fubara was aware of and supported the meeting, and declared the group’s commitment to supporting Kingsley Chinda as the coalition’s governorship candidate in Rivers State.