The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu must be allowed to complete two terms totaling eight years in office, emphasising that the South deserves its full tenure in line with Nigeria’s rotational power arrangement.
Wike, speaking during Christmas visits to Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas in Rivers State on Sunday, cautioned against what he termed “emergency singers” of the popular slogan “On your mandate we shall stand,” urging them to respect existing political agreements.
“For us here, agreement is agreement. You can be singing ‘on your mandate we shall stand’ in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is fine, but we have been supporting the President since 2023. Your new slogans will not help you,” Wike stated.
He lambasted latecomers to Tinubu’s support, stressing that true loyalty is shown in difficult times. “When it mattered most, we stood on his mandate, not these people now coming to shout ‘on your mandate’ when it was important they couldn’t,” he added.
Addressing the Ikwerre people, Wike highlighted their pivotal role in delivering votes that secured Tinubu’s victory in Rivers during the uncertain 2023 presidential election.
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“In 2023, when it was difficult and people did not know that Mr President would emerge, those of us from Ikwerre understood that politics is about risk. If you look at the votes that helped him win in Rivers State, they came particularly from Ikwerre,” he said.
Wike insisted that party affiliation should not hinder support for Tinubu. “The South must complete their eight years, and it doesn’t matter which party we belong to; give Mr President the support to succeed.
In 2031, after the South must have completed its eight years through President Tinubu, we will know what next.”
The minister’s remarks come amid ongoing political realignments in Rivers State, underscoring his unwavering backing for the President.
