By Ogbeni Olawale Dawodu
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, of working against him despite political support he claims to have extended to both men in the past.
Speaking during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Wike said the Kwara governor had been “the one championing this campaign against me everywhere,” adding, “I have confronted him too. I don’t talk about what I cannot defend.”
He alleged that Abdulrazaq accused him of sponsoring candidates against his preferred choices in Kwara, and argued the governor should instead be grateful to him for offering a political platform to aggrieved APC members who defected to the PDP. He made similar allegations against the Imo governor, though Uzodimma declined to comment when contacted. Sources close to the APC governors said Wike’s National Rainbow Coalition was designed to confuse the electorate and cut into President Bola Tinubu’s votes.
Despite the fallout, Wike insisted his focus remained on securing Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, and challenged those accusing him of working against APC governors to state what support they had given him in return. “Any Nigerian who knows me know I have never hidden my intention,” he said.
How We Stopped Atiku, Obi in 2023 — Wike
The minister disclosed how he and his allies worked to ensure that PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi lost the 2023 presidential election to Tinubu, describing it as a deliberate strategy targeted at Atiku, whom he identified as the man truly controlling the PDP’s chances that year.
“Do you know what we did in 2023? Let me tell you now to shock you. We knew that the man who was controlling the election was Atiku… We gave it to him – take the South-East,” Wike said.
He explained that former Benue governor Samuel Ortom was central to the plan, exploiting Ortom’s reservations about the Muslim-Muslim ticket to swing support to Obi and deny Atiku the South-South votes needed to win.
Wike: I’ll Be First Casualty If Tinubu Loses in 2027
Wike declared he would be the first politician to face consequences should Atiku or Obi defeat Tinubu in 2027, citing the intensity of his support for the President. “I will be the first politician that I think they will come after. I know they will come for my head,” he said, adding that his loyalty to Tinubu occupies his thoughts daily.
He predicted Tinubu would secure at least 25 percent of votes in every northern state, while Atiku would fail to cross 10 percent in many southern states, naming Plateau, Nasarawa, Kwara and Kogi as certain wins for the President in the North-Central zone. He also dismissed claims that economic hardship would hurt Tinubu’s chances, noting that hunger has never determined the outcome of a Nigerian election.
Amaechi Unfit for VP, NBA Now a Political Party — Wike
Wike launched a fresh attack on former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi, now running mate to Atiku on the ADC ticket, saying anyone who once shut down courts was unfit to be vice president. “Rotimi Amaechi, who wants to be vice president today, once shut down the courts in Rivers State and caused a pregnant woman to give birth in prison,” he alleged.
He also accused the Nigerian Bar Association of abandoning its role as an impartial defender of the rule of law in favour of partisan politics, saying, “The Nigerian Bar Association has now taken sides politically. They are now a political party.”
On reports that he planned to relocate to Rivers State, Wike said his frequent visits were about staying politically engaged with his people ahead of the 2027 polls, not abandoning his duties in Abuja. “It is not about relocating; it is about coming home to relate with the people,” he said.
Tinubu Has No Power to Dictate States’ Subsidy Spending — Wike
On the subsidy removal debate, Wike said President Tinubu had no authority to dictate how states and local governments spend their share of the additional revenue, responding to criticism from Peter Obi on the matter. “Tinubu has no power to say, ‘states, this is what you should do with the funds you’ve got from the fuel subsidy.’ All tiers of government are independent,” he said.
He praised Tinubu for taking the “bold decision no president took” in removing the subsidy, adding that it was now time for states to account for how they have used the funds.
