Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has intensified his political campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging youths in Rivers State to reject former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi while pledging to deliver the state and the FCT for President Bola Tinubu.
Wike made the declaration on Tuesday while addressing members of the Rivers Rainbow Coalition Youth in Port Harcourt, where he criticized the political records of Atiku and Obi and called on the youths to mobilize grassroots support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The minister accused Atiku of inconsistency and questioned his credibility, alleging that the former vice-president had repeatedly changed his position on political matters.
“I have been in the same party with Atiku Abubakar. He is not a man who keeps to his words. What he says in the night is not what he says in the morning,” Wike said.
He also dismissed Atiku’s repeated attempts to become president, describing them as driven by personal ambition rather than a consistent political vision.
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Wike equally criticized Obi, portraying him as a politician whose popularity depends largely on social media attention and public gestures rather than what he described as tangible achievements.
“You can make him the president of social media so that he can be going to IDP camps to be celebrating their birthdays and buying corn on the road,” the minister said.
Reaffirming his support for Tinubu, Wike declared that Rivers State would remain firmly behind the president regardless of the political ambitions of other opposition figures.
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“Whether you are Atiku, whether you are Obi, Rivers State is for Tinubu!” he said.
Wike Highlights Infrastructure Projects, Federal Appointments
The FCT minister urged the youths to assess political leaders based on their contributions to development and the welfare of Nigerians rather than popularity, public image or campaign promises.
According to him, political support should be tied to the benefits communities receive from government policies and projects.
“We are not playing politics for the sake of it without bringing benefits to our people. After all, we are not looking for those who are fine or finer. We are looking for those who will do something that will positively impact Nigerians and the Rivers people,” Wike said.
He cited the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects in Rivers State, particularly the Bonny-Bodo road and bridge network, as examples of the benefits he believes the state has received under Tinubu’s administration.
Wike also claimed that at least 49 indigenes of Rivers State currently occupy prominent positions in the Federal Government, describing the development as unprecedented.
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He urged the coalition members to consider the state’s political interests and the potential benefits of its relationship with the federal government when making decisions ahead of the elections.
“What is important is: where is Rivers State, where are we going, and how will the election benefit Rivers State? That is what we are talking about,” he said.
Rainbow Coalition Plans Campaign Mobilization
Wike called on the coalition’s youth leaders to intensify grassroots mobilization by engaging community leaders, residents and other stakeholders across Rivers State.
He also directed that young people should be adequately represented on committees responsible for organizing presidential rallies and other campaign activities.
“The committee for the presidential rally must put a reasonable number of our youths,” he said.
The minister announced that the Rivers Rainbow Coalition would formally unveil its candidates on October 27, expressing confidence that the platform would consolidate support for Tinubu and other candidates it endorses.
The meeting brought together youth representatives and political stakeholders who pledged to mobilize support for the president and the coalition’s preferred candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Governorship Candidate Promises Youth Empowerment
Earlier at the gathering, Kingsley Chinda, identified in the report as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, pledged to prioritize youth inclusion, education, vocational training and community development if elected.
Chinda said his proposed administration would place students’ welfare and bursary payments among its priorities, with chairmen of the state’s 23 local government areas expected to play active roles in supporting young people.
He also promised to strengthen technical and vocational education from primary through secondary school, equipping students with practical skills to improve their employment prospects and encourage entrepreneurship.
According to him, Rivers State should develop the capacity to produce skilled professionals capable of competing with the best in the country.
“Today, if we are talking about tiling, carpentry, and technical craftsmanship, people start looking towards Cotonou. We believe that very soon, if anyone wants the best tilers or the best electricians in Nigeria, they will come to Rivers State,” he said.
Chinda stressed that youth development would be central to his proposed administration, adding that sustainable progress would depend on investing in the skills and welfare of young people.
“There will be no compromise. We can only build the state if we build the youths,” he added.
He further maintained that local government chairmen would be expected to take students’ welfare, bursary payments and vocational training seriously.
Chinda also reaffirmed the coalition’s support for Tinubu’s re-election, declaring that Rivers youths were prepared to mobilize votes for the president.
“The message we are sending out today is that the youths of Rivers State are unapologetically, unconditionally standing firm with Tinubu for President,” he said.
Youth Leaders Pledge Support for Tinubu
Other youth leaders at the event also expressed their commitment to mobilizing grassroots support for Tinubu and candidates endorsed by the Rivers Rainbow Coalition.
Chima Aguma, the Rivers State coordinator of the Rainbow Coalition Youth and South-South coordinator of the City Boys Movement, assured Wike of the group’s readiness to deploy its community networks in support of the coalition’s political objectives.
Aguma described the youths as part of Wike’s political base and pledged to intensify mobilization efforts across communities ahead of the elections.
Similarly, Bani Nwisabari, chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State chapter, presented a recognition plaque to Wike in appreciation of what he described as the minister’s contributions to political inclusion and unity.
Nwisabari, who said he benefited from Wike’s appointment to the state’s Senior Secondary School Board, described the minister as an empowerment strategist and pledged continued support ahead of 2027.
“Come 2027, the message is very clear and we will do the needful,” he said.
The president of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS), Justice Uranta, also pledged to mobilize students across the state’s 23 local government areas, tertiary institutions and the diaspora in support of Tinubu and the coalition’s preferred governorship candidate.
Uranta pointed to initiatives aimed at improving students’ welfare, including the provision of a permanent NURSS secretariat, as achievements the coalition could highlight during its campaign.
The youth leaders and representatives of various organizations at the meeting subsequently endorsed Tinubu and other candidates backed by the Rivers Rainbow Coalition, pledging to strengthen grassroots mobilization ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike’s declaration underscores his continued alignment with Tinubu as political actors begin positioning themselves ahead of the next presidential election. However, the eventual electoral outcome will depend on voters’ choices and the broader political developments leading up to 2027.
