Wike Announces Who He'll Support in 2027 amid Clash with APC, "This State Is a No-Go Area"
- FCT minister Nyesom Wike reaffirmed support for President Tinubu ahead of 2027 amidst the political tension in Rivers state
- Recall that Wike clashed with APC's national secretary Basiru over influence and local political affairs in Rivers State
- Rivers state remains a key battleground as Wike's loyalty and influence shape the APC power struggle
FCT, Abuja - The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring that his political structure in Rivers State is fully committed to the President.
Wike made the declaration on Tuesday, January 6, while outlining his ongoing political consultations across local government areas (LGAs) in Rivers state.
Source: Twitter
A post he made via X, said:
“Yesterday, we were in Oyigbo and Ogu-Bolo LGAs. Today, we will be in Akuku-Toru and Degema LGAs.Here, it is local politics, and our support for Mr President is total.”
Statement comes amid clash with APC secretary
The FCT minister’s declaration comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions between him and the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, over political influence in Rivers state.
On Monday, January 5, Basiru publicly challenged Wike to resign his ministerial position and focus on what he described as the minister’s preoccupation with Rivers politics.
The remark followed a warning by Wike, who cautioned Basiru against interfering in the state’s political affairs.
“Carrying your hands to Rivers state, if they burn, don’t say I burnt it. I can challenge anybody; this state is a no-go area, whether you like it or not,” Wike said.
APC leaders divided over Rivers power struggle
The dispute has exposed internal divisions within the APC, particularly over the lingering political crisis between Wike and Rivers state Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Last week, the APC’s South-South National Vice-Chairman, Victor Giadom, publicly backed Wike, describing him as central to the party’s electoral fortunes in the state, The Cable reported.
“To win anything in this state, you must go through Wike,” Giadom said.
Basiru, however, criticised the remark, warning party leaders against undermining the authority of elected governors.
“I find it unfortunate that a member of the NWC was referring to a governor in our party as a ‘so-called governor of Rivers State.
“No matter one’s allegiance, such language is unbecoming of someone holding such a sensitive position," Basiru said.
Rift with Fubara shapes APC tensions
Wike’s strained relationship with Governor Fubara has further complicated APC dynamics in Rivers State, especially following the governor’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December.
The FCT minister has since opposed Fubara’s re-election bid, accusing the governor of breaching a political understanding they allegedly reached before President Tinubu lifted the emergency rule earlier imposed on the state.
Source: Twitter
Wike has also dismissed recent commendations of Governor Fubara by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who reportedly said the President was satisfied with the governor’s performance.
Rivers remains flashpoint ahead of 2027
As political manoeuvring intensifies ahead of 2027, Rivers State continues to emerge as a major flashpoint within the APC, with Wike’s influence, party loyalty and control of grassroots structures shaping the unfolding power contest, Vanguard reported.
Despite mounting tensions within the ruling party, Wike has made it clear that his support for President Tinubu remains non-negotiable, even as battles over political control in Rivers State deepen.
Top lawyer speaks on Wike's battle with Fubara
A top lawyer and political commentator, Pelumi Olajengbesi, while speaking with Legit.ng on Sunday, January 11, said:
"So the question returns with greater urgency, what will be the end of Wike? If it comes, it may not come with fireworks. Strongmen often do not fall through one decisive attack. They are slowly redesigned out of relevance.
"The end can look like isolation, with quiet withdrawal of access, gradual loss of influence over appointments, and the emergence of new centres of power within the same territory he once treated as private estate. It can look like neutralisation, with Wike remaining in office, but watching the political value of the office drain because the presidency and the party no longer need his battles.
"It can look like forced realignment, with him compelled to fully submit to the ruling party structure, sacrificing the freedom of being an independent ally, or losing the cover that federal power provides.
"Yet it is also possible that his story does not end in collapse, because Wike is not a novice. The same instinct that made him influential can also help him survive if he adapts.
"But adaptation would require a difficult shift. It would require a move from territorial warfare to coalition management. It would require a move from ruling by fear to ruling by accommodation. It would require a move from being merely feared to being structurally useful without becoming structurally threatening. Wike may be running out of time."
Wike reacts to Fubara’s defection to APC
Legit.ng earlier reported that Wike said Fubara did not require his clearance to join the ruling APC.
Speaking during a media chat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, Wike described his successor's move as natural, following earlier defections by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and council chairmen.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
