We’ll Use our Votes to Punish Those Abusing Us, Wike Warns
- Nyesom Wike has warned that voters in Obio/Akpor would use their electoral strength to respond against political attacks ahead of the 2027 polls
- Lawmakers and council leaders had affirmed the local government’s numerical voting advantage and its influence in determining Rivers State political outcomes
- Community leaders pledged continued support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid while maintaining caution on the 2027 governorship direction
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned that voters in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State will respond firmly to political attacks when the 2027 elections arrive.
Wike made the declaration during a thank-you visit to his home area on Sunday. He told supporters that the voting strength of the council gives it decisive influence in determining who emerges as governor and senator in Rivers.
Source: Facebook
According to him, Obio/Akpor delivered about 40 percent of the votes in the last election, a figure he said far outweighs the contribution of smaller councils.
“So for the people of Obio/Akpor, we have the power to dictate who becomes governor. All these people commenting from the sidelines, ask them if their local government, which produced only 5,000 votes, can challenge one that produced 40 per cent of the votes? Let us see how it will work.”
“We will use our strength to punish them. Nobody has become governor in this state without Obio/Akpor making the pronouncement. Nobody has become the senator of Rivers East without Obio/Akpor deciding. So, if you like abusing us, after abusing us, come and look for the votes—and we will punish you with the votes.”
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Chinda flexes Obio/Akpor’s electoral weight
Backing the claim, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, said the council controls more than 684,000 votes out of about 3.5 million registered voters in the state. He maintained that such numbers place the area in a commanding political position.
“Just go home. Tell us what you want us to do and we will do it,” Chinda told the minister.
Council chairman, Dr Gift Worlu, praised Wike’s public service record at local, state and national levels. He said the decision of the area to support President Bola Tinubu in 2023 had brought tangible benefits to the people, adding that the community already understands its direction ahead of the next presidential poll.
Source: Facebook
On the governorship race, Worlu offered a cautious note, saying, “we do not know where to go yet, but we know where not to go”.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, also pledged continued backing for the minister from the local government. He said lawmakers would keep supporting Wike’s push for Tinubu’s return for a second term.
“Tell Mr President that what we did for him in 2023, we will do even better in 2027,” Amaewhule assured.
The gathering reinforced Obio/Akpor’s intent to remain a major force in shaping Rivers politics as the next election cycle approaches.
Taraba PDP chairman resigns
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the chairman of the PDP in Taraba state, Abubakar Bawa, resigned from his position and withdrew his membership from the party.
Bawa announced his resignation in a brief statement, thanking stakeholders for the opportunity to serve and wishing the party success in its future endeavours.
Although he did not provide reasons for his decision, party insiders say his exit may be linked to the rumoured defection of Governor Agbu Kefas to the APC.
Source: Legit.ng
