- FCT Minister Nyesom Wike confirmed he is personally coordinating President Tinubu's re-election campaign in Rivers State
- Wike described Rivers State as a 'peculiar' situation, saying the role requires someone with the right buy-in and leadership
- The minister pushed back on claims that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had been sidelined from the campaign effort
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has broken his silence on why he, rather than Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, is heading President Bola Tinubu's re-election campaign structure in the state.
Speaking at his monthly media chat in Abuja on Tuesday, October 13, and monitored by Wike acknowledged that Rivers is the only state in the federation where the incumbent APC governor is not directly coordinating the presidential campaign. He was unapologetic about his own role in filling that gap.
Source: Twitter
Why Wike says the job requires his kind of leadership
The minister was direct about what he believes the assignment demands. "Look, in an election, it takes a lot of leadership; there are a lot of things that are involved," Wike said. "You require somebody who has a buy-in."
He did not elaborate on the specific reasons Fubara is not leading the campaign coordination, but framed Rivers as a state with circumstances unlike any other in the country.
Wike insists Fubara has not been pushed aside
Despite taking on the coordination role himself, Wike firmly rejected any suggestion that Fubara had been marginalised. "No, he has not been pushed aside," he said when asked directly.
The minister went further, arguing that Fubara remains fully integrated into the campaign at every level. "Fubara is fully a member, fully plays his part," Wike said. He pointed to the fact that campaign meetings have been held at the governor's residence as evidence of Fubara's continued relevance. "If he is not a member, why do you think we are hosting meetings in his house? Do you know what it takes to host meetings of that calibre?"
When asked whether the governor would participate in the campaign going forward, Wike confirmed he would, saying Fubara would be involved from the state level up to the national stage.
The minister also offered what he described as the governor's primary motivation at this stage. "What is of concern to Fubara, whether he is running or not, is to keep his political family intact," Wike explained.
The comments come against the backdrop of a well-documented political tension between Wike and Fubara, his political godson, which has shaped the power dynamics in Rivers State over the past two years.
See the video of his interview on X here:
Source: Legit.ng