RismadarVoice Reporters
November 7, 2026
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Rivers State residents have resolved to support President Bola Tinubu in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
Wike made the declaration on Saturday while welcoming Tinubu and his delegation to the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt for a presidential campaign rally organised by the APC-PDP Rainbow Coalition.
The former Rivers State governor, who coordinates Tinubu’s presidential campaign activities in the state, expressed confidence that the President would receive overwhelming electoral support.
He maintained that the crowd at the rally comprised Rivers residents, insisting that supporters had not been mobilised from other states.
According to Wike, the turnout demonstrated what he described as widespread acceptance of Tinubu’s re-election bid among the people of Rivers State.
The minister attributed the support to federal appointments and projects undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
He claimed that at least 47 Rivers State indigenes had received political appointments under the current administration, describing the development as unprecedented since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
Wike argued that the appointments demonstrated the President’s political relationship with the state and justified continued support for his administration.
However, the minister did not provide a detailed list of the 47 appointees during the remarks.
He also criticised former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, questioning the effectiveness of a mosquito fumigation programme allegedly undertaken during Amaechi’s administration.
Wike challenged the former governor to account for the programme and explain whether it achieved its stated objectives.
The FCT minister further recalled Amaechi’s role as Director-General of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign organisations.
He claimed that despite Amaechi’s involvement, Buhari failed to secure 15 per cent of the votes cast in Rivers State during the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
The allegations concerning Amaechi’s administration were political claims made by Wike, and no response from the former governor was included in the reports reviewed.
Saturday’s rally formed part of Tinubu’s campaign engagements ahead of the presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027.
Although Wike expressed confidence in Tinubu’s electoral prospects, the political preferences of Rivers voters will ultimately be determined through the election.
