In a thinly veiled jab widely interpreted as aimed at Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike declared on Sunday that mere alignment with President Bola Tinubu would not secure political tickets ahead of future elections.
Speaking during a visit to Emohua Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State, Wike mocked latecomers to Tinubu’s support, emphasizing that his group had backed the President when it was “tough” and unpopular.
“So the issue is not whether you are supporting Tinubu. That one, we have taken too long, long… Yes, oh. So Tinubu’s issue is not an issue again. Yes. Do you understand me? Yes. Tinubu’s issue is that nobody should be coming here to tell a day. We are for Tinubu, I am against you. Who is for Tinubu University? (laughs) That cannot give you any ticket, oh. (laughs) Direct, direct. It will not. Direction. Direction.”
Wike continued, highlighting the Rivers State House of Assembly’s early endorsement of Tinubu: “The same people now who came to declare, put them to God… But they should declare they are saying it for a candidate. Yes. Don’t you see characters? (laughs) So I send the sword far ahead of them.”
He boasted about projects he initiated, such as roads and agreements, noting the difficulty for others to acknowledge continuity: “Government is a continuum. Oh, my God. This is the man who made me.”
The remarks come amid lingering tensions despite Fubara’s recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) the President’s party following a prolonged political crisis that saw federal intervention, including a brief state of emergency.
Political observers see Wike’s comments as a direct response to Fubara’s move into the APC fold, where the governor has positioned himself as a key Tinubu ally in Rivers State. Critics of Fubara argue his support emerged only after the political heat, contrasting with Wike’s longstanding backing of Tinubu during the 2023 elections.
Wike, who has remained influential in Rivers politics despite his federal role, appeared to warn that loyalty demonstrated under pressure not opportunistic alignment would determine rewards like governorship tickets in 2027.
Videos of the speech, captured at an event in Rumuche, Emohua, quickly went viral on social media, with users captioning it as a “cryptic message” to Fubara.
Neither the governor’s office nor Wike’s team has issued an official response as of press time. However, the statement underscores that the Wike-Fubara rift, though subdued by presidential-brokered peace deals earlier in the year, remains far from resolved.
The political temperature in Rivers State continues to rise.
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