As rift with the All Progressives Congress (APC) deepens, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared “total support” for President Bola Tinubu.
Wike, who at the time of filing this story, is holding a political rally in Rivers State made the declaration in a post on X on Tuesday.
The immediate past governor of the state has been touring Rivers state LGAs, and had announced that his next stops on Tuesday would be Akuku-Toru and Degema.
He explained that both communities were fully in support of Tinubu who will seek reelection in 2027.
In a post on X, he said, “Yesterday, we were in Oyigbo and Ogu-Bolo LGAs. Today, we will be in Akuku-Toru and Degema LGAs.”
He added, “Here, it is local politics, and our support for Mr President is total.”
His declaration comes a day after a heated exchange of words between him and the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru, over Wike’s renewed attack on Rivers governor, Sim Fubara.
Basiru had replied to a series of comments made by Wike against him and Fubara asking the FCT Minister to quit his ministerial appointment and focus on what he described as an “obsession” with Rivers state politics.
This followed Wike’s attack on Bashiru, warning the APC scribe to stop interfering in Rivers’ politics, threatening that his “hands will burn” if he persists.
The rift had widened after the APC’s South-South National Vice-Chairman, Victor Giadom, had expressed support for Wike amid the feud with Fubara, which restarted after Fubara was reinstated after the state of emergency Tinubu declared.
Giadom had said, “To the so-called governor of Rivers state, to win anything in this state, you must go through Wike. “
Bahsiru quickly replied Giadom’s remarks, cautioning Giadom against “insulting” Fubara or any governor.
He said, “I find it unfortunate that a member of the NWC, who is the vice-chairman of the south-south zone of the APC, was referring to a governor in our party as a ‘so-called governor of Rivers state’.
“No matter what his allegiances are to anybody, it is unbecoming of somebody holding such a sensitive position, and it should not be encouraged by anybody,” Basiru said.
However, Wike took exception to Basiru’s rebuke of Gaidom, calling it an interference, and cautioned the APC national secretary against taking sides in Rivers politics.
“Carrying your hands to Rivers state, if they burn, don’t say I burnt it. I can challenge anybody; this state is a no-go area, whether you like it or not. Don’t dare. So, stop making unnecessary comments,” Wike warned.
Wike had also had words for National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, after he said Tinubu was happy with Fubara.
But on Tuesday, the combative minister said he had total support for Tinubu and that he would work for his reelection.