The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that Rivers State and the FCT belong to President Bola Tinubu, not to serial presidential contestants and social media presidents.
Wike stated this on Tuesday in Port Harcourt while addressing a large gathering of youths under the Rivers Rainbow Coalition.
According to him, the 2027 presidential election is between a leader who has delivered tangible benefits to Rivers State and the FCT and opposition figures he described as self-serving and lacking in substance.
Wike said the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, was not trustworthy.
“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 branded Atiku a “political gambler” who had contested for the presidency eight consecutive times, warning that voting for him would mean enabling someone whose primary goal was to recoup funds spent over decades of unsuccessful presidential bids.
On the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, Wike described him as a “social media president, a fake man” who faked populist gestures.
“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,” he said.
Wike defended his alignment with President Tinubu, saying Rivers State had never received as many federal benefits as it had under the current administration.
He said no fewer than 49 indigenes of Rivers State currently held prominent federal positions, describing this as unprecedented.
He also cited the newly operational Bonny-Bodo road and bridge network, noting that residents could now drive smoothly to Bodo for the first time.
“We’re not looking for those who are fine or finer. We’re looking for those who will do something that will positively impact Nigerians and also impact Rivers people,” Wike said.
“Whether you are Atiku, whether you are Obi, Rivers State is for Tinubu!” he declared, prompting chants of “Eeeeeh Tinubu! Oooh!” from the crowd.
Wike said the Rivers Rainbow Coalition had come to stay and would formally unveil its candidates on 27 October, urging the youths to mobilise every demographic behind Tinubu.
In his remarks, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, said the message was clear: Rivers youths were standing firmly with Tinubu.
“The message we are sending out today is that the youths of Rivers State are unapologetically, unconditionally standing firm with Tinubu for President,” Chinda said.
He promised a complete restructuring of the state’s education system, with a focus on technical and vocational training. He added that council chairmen across the 23 local government areas would be mandated to prioritise youth welfare and vocational centres.
“Today, if we are talking about tiling, carpentry, and technical craftsmanship, people start looking toward 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.
Youth leaders also pledged grassroots mobilisation.
Chima Aguma, Coordinator of the Rivers State Rainbow Coalition Youth, said: “These are people who stood by you throughout the struggle… We are ready to do anything we can to ensure Tinubu and other candidates under the Rainbow Coalition win massively.”
Bani Nwisabari, Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State Chapter, presented a plaque honouring Wike as a symbol of political inclusion.
Justice Uranta, President of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS), said students would mobilise across all 23 local government areas and campuses in the state and among the diaspora to ensure victory for Tinubu and Chinda.
