The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has spent the past two weeks away from Abuja, embarking on an extensive tour of local government areas in Rivers State amid rising political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, has described the visits as “thank-you” engagements across the state’s 23 local government areas. However, at several stops, he has openly linked the tour to 2027 politics, urging support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid while also restating his opposition to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The political undertone of the tour became more pronounced following the Rivers State House of Assembly’s decision on Thursday to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. The development came shortly after Mr Wike accused the governor of breaching the terms of a peace agreement reportedly brokered by President Tinubu.
Timeline Of The Rivers Tour
Mr Wike’s public appearances in Rivers began on December 26, 2025, with a visit to Akuku-Toru Local Government Area during a chieftaincy title ceremony for the Majority Leader of the Rivers House of Assembly, Major Jack. Two days later, he paid a “special Christmas visit” to Emohua Local Government Area.
By December 30, he had extended the tour to Gokana Local Government Area. On January 2, he visited Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, followed by Okrika LGA the next day. He continued the tour with visits to Ahoada West on January 4, Oyigbo and Ogu/Bolo on January 5, and Degema on January 6.
On January 7, Mr Wike visited Asari Toru and Ahoada East LGAs. His itinerary showed no sign of slowing as he toured Bonny LGA on Thursday, barely an hour after the impeachment process against Governor Fubara commenced. He proceeded to Andoni LGA on Friday and is scheduled to visit Obio/Akpor LGA on January 11.
By Friday, aides indicated that he had already visited at least 20 local government areas across the state within a span of less than three weeks.
FCT Labour Unrest Amid Minister’s Absence
While Mr Wike continues his Rivers engagements, labour unions under the Federal Capital Territory Administration have issued a seven-day ultimatum over unresolved welfare and labour concerns. The Joint Union Action Congress, FCT, said the ultimatum took effect from January 7, 2026.
In a statement, the union’s President, Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, warned that a strike could follow if their demands were ignored. The notice was copied to senior officials, including the FCT Minister of State, the minister’s Chief of Staff, the Head of Service, and the Director of the Department of State Services.
The unions listed grievances such as the non-release of approved overhead funds for six months in 2025, unpaid wage award arrears spanning five months, alleged staff intimidation, restrictions on phone usage at the FCT Geographic Information System, and unpaid allowances for enforcement officers, street sweepers and sanitation workers.
They also accused the FCT administration of undermining financial autonomy and approved spending limits for permanent secretaries and heads of departments, warning that workers could no longer endure what they described as persistent neglect.
Criticism From Lawyers And Political Figures
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong described Mr Wike’s prolonged presence in Rivers as troubling, arguing that the minister appeared more focused on political mobilisation than governance in Abuja.
He pointed to recent incidents of violent crime in the FCT, including the killing of a nurse and a lawyer, and questioned the minister’s visibility in addressing security challenges in the capital.
Similarly, Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accused Mr Wike of abandoning his ministerial duties in pursuit of political dominance in Rivers State. He claimed the minister was positioning himself as a central political figure across party lines in the state.
Earlier in the week, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, publicly asked Mr Wike to resign his ministerial post if he intended to focus on Rivers politics. The call followed an exchange between both men over political developments in the state.
Presidency Silent, Aide Defends Minister
Efforts to obtain a response from the Presidency were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, went unanswered.
However, Mr Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, dismissed claims that the minister had abandoned his responsibilities. He argued that modern technology allows the FCT minister to carry out official duties remotely.
According to him, the minister continues to treat official files despite being outside Abuja and remains actively engaged in governance. He also downplayed concerns over security incidents in the FCT, claiming that violent crime had reduced compared to previous periods.
Mr Olayinka further insisted that the Rivers visits should not be interpreted as political campaigns.
“These are thank-you visits, not campaigns,” he said, maintaining that the minister’s actions were being misrepresented.
