Chief Nyesome Wike, Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, is closely linked to politics and controversy. He is engaged in multiple challenges concurrently. He is working to maintain his influence over the mechanisms of power in Rivers State. Additionally, he faces disputes with various landowners in Abuja, including retired servicemen. He is also striving to
Chief Nyesome Wike, Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, is closely linked to politics and controversy. He is engaged in multiple challenges concurrently. He is working to maintain his influence over the mechanisms of power in Rivers State. Additionally, he faces disputes with various landowners in Abuja, including retired servicemen. He is also striving to assert his position amid the PDP factional crisis. Currently, as he seeks alignment with the APC, he is encountering resistance from the party’s leadership.
Chief Nyesom Wike is currently touring all 23 local government areas in Rivers, expressing gratitude and seeking commitments of support for his cause as well as President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign. Statements such as “we will go wherever Wike wants us to go” have surfaced, reflecting this mobilisation. The LG chairmen, regarded as his loyal supporters, were chosen under contentious circumstances during a six-month period of emergency rule in Rivers State when Governor Siminilari Fubara was suspended.
Political power can be lost by miscalculations, not just defeat. In Rivers State, Nyesom Wike may have made a costly mistake when his loyalists in the House of Assembly defected to the APC, aiming to weaken Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was then in the PDP. The move, intended as a clever tactic, but that may have backfired big time.
Wike did not expect Fubara to join the APC ahead of him, given that he had been his hitherto loyalist. Fubara was registered as a topmost member of the APC in Rivers State, with card number 001. With Wike’s Assembly allies already in the APC without Wike, they are now under the influence of the APC, of which, by tradition, Fubara is its leader. Additionally, Fubara is now properly aligned with the power at the federal level and would enjoy all the institutional support therefrom.
The APC leadership wasted no time in welcoming Governor Fubara to its fold. He was, for once, able to see President Bola Tinubu, independent of Wike. He was ushered into the President’s office by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum. The APC is a much more disciplined party than the PDP, which has been held down by Wike and his allies, who have ensured that the party is factionalised through orchestrated internal wranglings.
With Fubara now firmly positioned in the APC, any impeachment effort by the Rivers House of Assembly would be seen as destabilising. The upcoming APC congresses and convention will likely strengthen his influence, allowing him to secure party structures and retire certain House members.
The foregoing realities and the fear of losing political control led Nyesom Wike to embark on what he called Thank You tours of the local government areas in Rivers State. For about a week now, he has abandoned his primary duties as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Wike’s biggest undoing is that he is stuck in the PDP, where he has engaged in different legal battles to fight his expulsion, for recognition of his faction and to ensure that the party does not present a presidential candidate against Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Should Wike decide to join the APC now, he would still face significant limitations. Governors are regarded as leaders of the party in the APC states, a reality that sounds unpalatable to Wike’s ears. Opposing Fubara would be seen as opposing both the party and, consequently, the President. The projected political situation essentially diminishes his influence and does not look good for him as his loyalists.
His recent actions—travelling between local governments and making emotional appeals—reflect Wike’s awareness of the stakes. He has reportedly acknowledged that Fubara’s re-election would end his political career.
Wike’s current situation stems from decisions influenced by personal pride and excessive confidence, which have affected strategic judgement. Historically, Rivers’ politics has exhibited a pattern in which protégés often surpass their mentors in influence. Wike himself previously benefited from this dynamic and now experiences its consequences. But he is also on record as having said, “Godfatherism cannot work in Rivers State. It will never work.”
Nyesom Wike Versus Senator Ajibola Basiru, APC General Secretary
During his tours to the local governments, Wike warned the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru. Wike warned those who are trying to interfere in the politics of Rivers. He asked them to ask those who did in the past, and what happened to them. ”Today you’re enjoying in Osun, you don’t know who did the work”. In the 2023 election, Tinubu received 343,945 votes in Osun and 231,591 in Rivers, so Osun contributed more to his victory.
Wike warned those who are trying to interfere in the politics of Rivers. He asked them to ask those who did in the past what happened to them. Today you’re enjoying Osun; you don’t know who did the work. Godfatherism cannot work in Rivers State. It will never work.”
Wike warns the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru: Don’t take our support for President Tinubu for granted. Let me send this message to the APC National Secretary to leave Rivers State alone. You have to be very careful with the statements you make. When Mr. President comes back, when I see the Minister of Blue Economy, I will tell them to tell him: Carry your hand to Rivers State if your hand burns; don’t say na me burn am. I can challenge anybody; this state is a no-go area”.
As his praise singers sang, “How many of them dey wey will no go win them?” Boisterous Wike said, “I hear that people are boasting that they (President Tinubu) will call me and give me instructions. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like instruction as far as Rivers State is concerned. Nobody will call me. If you like, shout ‘on your mandate’ 50 times a day, it won’t give you an automatic ticket”.
APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Replies to Wike, Demands His Resignation
The APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately resign from his cabinet position.
The request follows Wike’s earlier directive to Basiru to refrain from involvement in Rivers State affairs and its political landscape, in response to allegations of external interference. During a thank-you visit to supporters in Oyigbo Local Government Area, Wike emphasised that Rivers State is not open to outside intervention, advised against assuming his ongoing support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and claimed that certain APC leaders are seeking an alleged N600 billion benefits within the state. He warned that meddlers could “burn their hands,” referencing past political consequences.
In a statement, Senator Basiru described Wike’s response as a “tirade” and “uncouth,” insisting it was provoked by his own principled defence of governors’ respect within the party, including Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, regardless of political differences.
The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to the tirade of the Minister of the FCT against my person and my office as the National Secretary of the APC. This is as regards my position that all members of the NWC must accord any sitting Governor his due respect and that the Governors remain the leaders of the Party in their States. It is shocking that such an innocuous statement can elicit such uncouth responses from no less than a member of the Federal Executive Council.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party (APC) so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs our Party. And as National Secretary of the APC, I am imbued with the responsibility to protect the interests of the Party and all its members and structures. Hence, my comments on the affairs of the APC in Rivers State CANNOT be an undue interference in the affairs of Rivers State. As National Secretary, my activities cannot be confined to my home state, Osun State.
“I also take exception to Wike’s reference to a certain N600 billion largesse in the State for which other APC leaders are scrambling. This is nothing but cheap blackmail, which has become his stock-in-trade. My background, track record are that of unquestionable integrity, and I challenge him to prove his allegations, or we may meet in court.
“As to his veiled threat against me, let me remind WIKE that he is not God and may be overplaying his political card. My faith is in God and will not succumb to cheap threats such as the one from WIKE. I am one of the young Nigerians who confronted Military rule, fighting for democracy, when the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.
“Let me also remind Nyesom Wike that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not automatically make him a member of the APC. Millions of non-APC Nigerians also support Mr. President, and his own is no different. His attempt to destabilise our Party in Rivers State will not be tolerated, and he cannot bring the spirit of PDP into the APC.
“Finally, my advice to Nyesom Wike is that he cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC Government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the Party at any level, using the leverage of that same office. The honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister. “
