By Our Political Correspondent
PORT HARCOURT — The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, has issued a robust declaration regarding the future of Rivers State politics, vowing that the electorate shall not “repeat past mistakes” as the nation looks toward the 2027 general elections.
Addressing a sizeable gathering in the Khana Local Government Area on Tuesday, the Minister announced that formal political activities in the state would commence in January 2026. His remarks were punctuated by a cautionary note, as he urged residents to avoid political alignments they might later find cause to regret.
In what has been widely interpreted as a thinly veiled critique of his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Mr Wike questioned whether the electorate’s previous loyalties had been met with adequate gratitude. “The first [mistake] you have done have they said thank you?” the Minister enquired, to which the crowd replied in the negative.
He further warned that a subsequent error in judgement could lead to the political displacement of his supporters. The comments come amidst a protracted and deeply entrenched power struggle between the two men a conflict that has already precipitated a constitutional standoff and the temporary declaration of a state of emergency within the region.
In a significant departure from traditional partisan politics, Mr Wike asserted that future alignments in Rivers State would transcend the established boundaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). He stated that the state’s political structure now operates under the aegis of the “Renewed Hope” family.
“For us, there’s nothing like APC or PDP; what we have is Renewed Hope,” the Minister remarked. “We are not voting based on party but on the fact that we belong to one political family.”
The Minister’s address follows Governor Fubara’s recent defection to the APC in early December, a move intended to consolidate his leadership within the state. However, during a media parley in Port Harcourt on Monday, Mr Wike dismissed the Governor’s transition as “belated and politically insignificant.”
Mr Wike maintained that political authority is derived from grassroots control and established structures rather than the mere holding of executive office. Challenging the Governor’s claim to leadership, he noted that twenty-two local government chairmen and a majority of the House of Assembly had already shifted their allegiances to the APC well before the Governor’s move.
“Defecting to another party does not make you the leader,” Mr Wike contended. “Leadership is not because you are a governor or a minister. Leadership is about what you bring to the table.”
As the political landscape of Rivers State continues to shift, the Minister’s early call to mobilisation suggests that the contest for control of the South-South powerhouse will be both prolonged and fiercely contested.
