Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Rivers State is firmly behind President Bola Tinubu, insisting that there will be no more bloodshed in the state.
Wike made the declaration on Tuesday during the unveiling of Rainbow Coalition candidates in Port Harcourt, where he called on Rivers residents to support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He said the Rainbow Coalition was established to unite members of different political parties in support of the president, stressing that the initiative was not intended to undermine any political group.
“I have said, and I want to repeat, the Rainbow Coalition means no harm but to bring people together from all the political parties to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Wike said.
The minister also claimed that he and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had agreed that members of the party across the country would vote for Tinubu in next year’s election.
“As the national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, we have agreed that every PDP member in all the states will vote for President Tinubu,” he stated.
Wike maintained that he remained the recognised national leader of the PDP, adding that no other individual could speak on behalf of the party.
He also dismissed the political relevance of opposition parties in Rivers State, insisting that the Rainbow Coalition had brought political actors together behind Tinubu.
Taking a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Wike questioned his consistency, recalling their political relationship during the 2019 and 2023 election cycles.
“I was one of his biggest supporters. He tells you one thing in the morning, he tells you another thing in the afternoon. He tells you something in the evening, the next morning, he tells you a different thing,” he said.
Wike also criticised former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, questioning his commitment to the principle of power rotation between northern and southern Nigeria.
He recalled Amaechi’s previous position on the agreement between the North and South, particularly regarding former President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition.
The minister further criticised Amaechi’s record as governor, particularly his promise to tackle malaria in Rivers State, asking whether residents were still suffering from the disease.
Wike urged Rivers residents to vote for all candidates supporting Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, reiterating his position that the state would deliver its votes to the president.
