Nyeson Wike FCT minister
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure a decisive victory in the Federal Capital Territory during the 2027 presidential election based on an unparalleled record of infrastructural development and good governance.
Speaking on Monday, September 21, 2026, during a live interview on national television, Wike contrasted the current administration’s transformative achievements with previous governments and cited tangible governance, structural reforms, and historic project completions across the territory and its satellite towns as some of the reasons why the political dynamics in the FCT will differ from the 2023 elections.
According to the Minister, “The people of the FCT have never felt the impact of governance. What is governance? Governance is—look at the road here. Governance is—look at education. Governance is—look at the health sector. Governance is—look, see what I’m benefiting at the end of the day.”
“Asiwaju came, and he said, ‘Look, what is the problem in FCT? What has impeded their development? What has made the satellite towns not to feel the impact of governance? I’m going to make sure those obstacles are no longer there.’ And he did it! It takes leadership, it takes boldness, it takes a man of courage to do those things people are afraid of.”
The Minister highlighted President Tinubu’s bold decision to exit the FCT from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as the financial catalyst that unlocked critical infrastructure funding across the territory.
“Leaving the Treasury Single Account made us to be independent, to be able to access commercial banks, to get money to carry out infrastructure. So today, that’s what this administration, that’s what the leadership of Asiwaju has been able to do. How many presidents took that initiative?”
“Under Buhari, I remember vividly, we inherited 25 projects; we have completed 23 projects. And under my administration, we have awarded 107. We have completed 70-something. And as I speak to you, from now to January, we’ll complete another 20. Take for example, Apo-Karshi was awarded in 2010—16 years ago! Today, by November this year, under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, that project will be handed over.”
“I challenge anybody in this country as far as this administration is concerned in FCT to say that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not surpassed any administration put together since the establishment or creation of FCT. I challenge anybody.”
Responding directly to critics within the Progressives Governors’ Forum who claim the cross-party Rainbow Coalition will destabilize the ruling party or confuse voters, the FCT Minister dismissed the allegations as political self-interest and blackmail, revealing that President Tinubu was fully briefed on the strategy.
“Let Nigerians know, and know it well, that all this crying that the rainbow coalition will confuse people, is not true. If a governor can leave his state and go to Abuja merely to have a press conference to say that they are dissatisfied by this rainbow coalition, then you have a question to ask: Is that governor really a serious governor?”
“Who will be more confused? I am PDP, supporting the President, and I’m telling my candidates to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. So, it would mean that my own candidates will even be more confused. I should be worried, and I’m not worried, and you are worried!”
The Minister named specific governors—including Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State—accusing them of attempting to mask their own internal party mismanagement and legislative succession ambitions by attacking the coalition.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Kwara, Governor Dapo Abiodun, and some of them who have their own problems, who cannot solve their own internal problems, think that they can muzzle me because I say I’m going to support Mr. President… They caused an internal problem for themselves, they have no capacity to solve the problem, and all they do is to resort to blackmail.”
“APC in their ongoing party primaries, the governors, in their own wisdom, believe that they should be able now to put senators or House of Reps members who they will dictate to, who will become the next Senate President or the Speaker… A man who has about 10 to 11 months to leave office… wants to leave his office to run for Senate so he can run for Senate President. Which, of course, life or death, I will never support a character like that to be Senate President of Nigeria.”
Dismissing rumors that President Tinubu had agreed to “concede nine states” to him or that the coalition was designed to advance personal presidential ambitions for 2031, Wike clarified that his sole focus remains securing President Tinubu’s second term across Nigeria.
“As I speak to you, I know Mr. President. There’s nothing I have done—I say it today, tomorrow—I’ve gone to him. And Mr. President understands me very well. Mr. President knows about my concept of the Rainbow Coalition… You are aware of my Governor, Fubara, that has gone back to his family to join the Rainbow Coalition. Today, why is it that nobody’s talking about crises in Rivers State? If there’s one state today that the President can go home and sleep that he has won, it’s Rivers!”
“As far as I’m concerned, the job Mr. President has given to me, have I done it well? Is he happy with what I’ve done? If he is, to hell with anybody! President Tinubu will win 2027; that’s non-negotiable.”
The Minister also dismissed claims by the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the ‘Obidient’ movement that they won the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State, asserting that their victories existed only in their imagination.
“They won in their imagination,” Wike declared while responding to questions on whether his political support in Rivers State remains organic. “I have always told people: they won in their imagination. Nobody declared them to have won. I have been in this system; I am in this game. When Obi went to the Timber Market or somewhere in Rivers State and they were shouting ‘Obi! Obi!’, is that how you win an election?”
He faulted claims of victory based on isolated polling units, noting that Rivers State possesses over 7,000 polling units across 23 local government areas.
“Out of over 7,000 polling units, until all results have come in, even if 200 polling units come out and say Obi or Atiku has won, it does not convince me. They went to the tribunal , were they able to tender or prove to the court that they won the election?
You can win on social media, but I am not interested in social media winning. I am interested practically in the results on the ground, who won, and who was declared.”
Addressing threats from political rivals in Rivers State ganging up against him ahead of the 2027 general elections, the FCT Minister expressed unwavering confidence, boasting that 2027 would be his easiest political contest yet.
“I started this game in 1999 as a local government chairman. In all my elections, it has never been easy. In 2015, they said it would be difficult; I won. In 2019, the Federal might and soldiers were against me, yet I won,” Wike recalled, revealing for the first time how his late brother, Herbert Wigwe, advised him to flee before the 2019 election due to Federal pressure, a plea he rejected before going on to win.
Wike maintained that his political strength stems from his track record and direct connection with the people rather than federal backing or political coalitions.
“Anybody telling you today that people are fighting me in Rivers and that it will be difficult, brother, I have never had an election that has been easy, but this one will be the easiest election as far as I know. The factors are clear. What are you going to tell Rivers people now? What will you present to them that will make them believe that following you will be more beneficial than what they have today?” he stated.
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