Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Rivers State residents will not repeat previous political miscalculations as preparations begin for the 2027 general elections, indicating an early phase of political mobilisation in the state.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday during a visit to Khana Local Government Area, where he said political activities would formally commence in January 2026. He cautioned residents against making decisions that could have long-term consequences.
According to him, the people had already experienced the outcome of earlier political choices. Addressing the crowd, Wike asked whether those decisions had been appreciated, to which the audience responded negatively. He warned that repeating such mistakes could lead to political exclusion.
Although he did not directly mention Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the ongoing political conflict between both men. Fubara, who took over as governor in 2023, has overseen a period of intense political division in Rivers State, marked by a prolonged struggle over control of the state’s political structure. The crisis later escalated into a constitutional confrontation that resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency and the governor’s suspension.
Wike further stated that political loyalty in the state would no longer be determined by party affiliation but by shared interests, noting that Rivers now aligns with what he described as the “Renewed Hope” political family.
He said the state’s political direction was no longer centred on traditional party lines such as the APC or PDP, but on collective identity and purpose under the Renewed Hope platform.
In a significant political development, Governor Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in early December and was reportedly named the party’s leader in the state.
However, Wike dismissed the defection as late and politically inconsequential. Speaking during an end-of-year media interaction in Port Harcourt on Monday, he argued that party leadership is rooted in structure and grassroots influence rather than official position or symbolic claims.
He maintained that joining a party alone does not confer leadership status, stressing that genuine leadership is defined by organisation and contributions at the grassroots level. Wike also downplayed the impact of Fubara’s defection, noting that the majority of local government chairmen and more than half of the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly had already moved to the APC prior to the governor’s decision.
According to him, political leadership is determined by the strength of one’s support base and capacity to mobilise, not merely by holding public office.
