The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has pledged that Rivers State and the FCT will vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
He also described himself as the sole leader of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Wike spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said he was speaking as an opposition party member.
“For me, as an opposition party member, as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, there are not two leaders of the PDP.
“I’m the leader of the PDP, so I speak on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he said.
He revealed that he had learnt only that day, while opening a newspaper, that he had been named to coordinate Tinubu’s campaign in the FCT and Rivers.
According to Wike, “Simple, there is no too much work for me. It’s Rivers and FCT, and let me say and pledge, by the grace of God, Rivers and FCT will vote massively for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That is my job.”
Wike warned coordinators that the APC’s win at the national level would not excuse a failure to deliver their states.
He stated, “If you don’t deliver your state and the president wins, don’t say we have won.
“It is not a question of I am chairman of this, I am secretary of this, I am a member of this.”
Recalling his conversation with the Chief of Staff to the President the same vein, he said “If you don’t win in Lagos, don’t say we have won.”
“Rivers and FCT, it is taken. I challenge any area council that can say they don’t see the presence of Mr President,” he stated.
Wike said Tinubu had shown leadership by confronting problems that earlier administrations had identified but shied away from.
Speaking on insecurity, he argued, “So many people have said if we create state police, the insecurity in this country will be reduced.”
Previous administrations, he said, had all identified state police as a solution, but nobody had taken the step to create them.
“By the grace of God, in the next few months, I’m sure that will be passed to have state police in Nigeria. That is leadership,” he assured.
Wike told the gathering that being in opposition did not mean denying good work.
He stated, “Democracy allows the opposition to be there to look at things that the ruling party have not concentrated on and say these are the issues you are not tackling.
“Democracy is not that if the ruling party is doing well, because you are in opposition, you say they are not doing well. That is not democracy.”
“January 16, 2027, to the glory of God, we’ll come back here and say thank you to the Almighty God.”
Wike was named coordinator for Rivers and the FCT in a revised council list released on Tuesday.
The former Rivers governor defended the inclusion of opposition figures, saying Tinubu had said those who were not party members but “have something to offer” should be included.
The APC will flag off its campaign in Kaduna on October 24, and the presidential election is on January 16, 2027.