Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has stressed his political partnership with President Bola Tinubu, urging all his political connections in Rivers State to unite and ensure that the President gets enough support before the 2027 general elections.
Wike stressed that his main mission in Rivers State was to act as a catalyst for empowering and developing the region rather than getting any benefit for himself.
Referring to the representatives of community and politics, Wike stressed that political partnership was based on the common interests of communities and not rivalry.
The minister underlined once again that he would resign from the cabinet position in case the President does not win the elections both in the state and FCT.
The former governor of the state emphasised the need to widen his political base to bring about practical gains for the people, emphasising the need for political interactions to shift based on mutual public objectives.
He added that leadership entails managing different viewpoints and accommodating both good and difficult circumstances.
When looking at how he has been able to get his cabinet position in the light of political changes, Wike mentioned that serving under Tinubu is one of his personal achievements that go beyond normal political perceptions. He said that his current grassroots movement will be aimed at using his national power to develop the state.
He urged politicians not to pay attention to any criticism on social media about his readiness to interact with previous political opponents.
For a strong electoral performance, Wike asked for an all-inclusive mobilisation plan in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area. He called for unity in the political strategy of all local stakeholders such as traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community leaders in order to have all the voters participate.
Using his own example as the first elected local council chairman in Obio-Akpor, who won a re-election after the establishment of the council in 1989, Wike made it known to local political leaders that relationships with the voters and good governance are the real pillars upon which one can maintain public trust.
He mentioned that Wards 15, 16, and 17 in Obio-Akpor Local Government are some of the electoral strongholds, and he instructed the local leaders to appoint coordinators and unit canvassers in all polling stations to convince family members, extended relatives, and neighbours in order to win the election.
Wike told his followers that he will keep on guiding and criticising elected local council officials constructively in the state in order to make sure that they do what is required of them. The gathering included Kingsley Chinda, the APC governorship candidate in the state.
