Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says his political camp does not need the backing of a governor to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu in Rivers state ahead of the 2027 general election.
Wike spoke on Saturday in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the Rivers state renewed hope Ambassadors’ headquarters.
The facility houses Majority FM 89.5, a situation room, office facilities and operational buses for the group.
The former Rivers governor commended Desmond Akawor, coordinator of the Rivers state renewed hope ambassadors, for what he described as an effective mobilisation drive across the state.
Wike said Rivers would work “massively” for Tinubu’s re-election.
“Desmond Akawor, you have shown enough capacity to mobilise. You have moved to all the nooks and crannies of Rivers to talk about Tinubu for president in 2027,” he said.
Wike declared that the state was firmly behind the president, adding that his political structure was already fully in place across the 23 local government areas.
“I have said before that Rivers state is a no-go area, and I want to say it again — this state is totally for Tinubu. We have made sure that all the 23 local governments and zonal coordinators were inaugurated,” he said.
The FCT minister said the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors’ secretariat and vehicles showed the group’s readiness to mobilise for the president.
“I challenge anybody — let them come to Rivers state and learn. Our commitment is not by mouth, our commitment is not by newspaper. Ours is by showing that we are working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Wike said.
He insisted that his political camp already had enough structures and leaders to mobilise support for the president without relying on a sitting governor.
“We don’t need to have a governor to mobilise for Mr President. We have all it takes. We have senators, assembly members, council chairmen, National Assembly members and party chairmen of APC and PDP,” he said.
Wike added that his group had collectively resolved to continue supporting Tinubu in 2027 if the president seeks re-election.
“In 2023, we took a decision without anybody pressuring us, and to the glory of God, that decision is what we are enjoying today. And whether anybody likes it or not, in 2027, when the president shows interest, we have no choice than to continue to support Mr President,” he said.
He also urged the renewed Hope ambassadors’ leadership to begin the inauguration of ward and unit coordinators across the state.
“We must take it down to the units to talk to our people to continue to support Mr President. We are battle ready,” he added.
Earlier, Akawor said the movement had established structures in all the 23 local government areas of the state.
He praised Wike for providing leadership for the group, describing his political style as “AI politics”.
