Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed any speculation about contesting against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election, stressing his loyalty to the current administration.

Speaking in a BBC Pidgin interview over the weekend, Wike clarified that his recent call for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its presidential ticket to the South was not a political maneuver against Tinubu.

“I will not contest. Why will I contest against someone I’m working for?” he stated.
“I cannot contest against someone I am working with. Who will win except him?”

Wike also dismissed claims of a formidable opposition capable of unseating Tinubu, emphasizing the president’s stronghold and his own unwavering support.

Addressing the lingering political crisis in Rivers State, the former governor downplayed tensions between him and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whom he described as his “political son.”

“That one is not a battle. He is my boy, he is my son. Why will I fight with him?” Wike said, blaming the crisis on external influences encouraging Fubara to rebel.

The standoff between both leaders had earlier led to serious unrest, including the burning of the state House of Assembly and widespread defections. In March, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected lawmakers for six months. Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd) was appointed interim administrator.

Responding to allegations that he orchestrated the emergency to destabilize Fubara’s government, Wike denied any wrongdoing.

“I’m only fighting against people who want to steal what they did not work for. Now, they are ashamed because they are being defeated,” he said.

Wike insisted that the issue at hand was not political power, but the need to uphold leadership integrity and protect the governance structure of Rivers State.