Rivers has already decided for Tinubu, Wike declares at 40,000-capacity rally

From Tony John, Port Harcourt

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that Rivers State has already decided to vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

Wike spoke on Saturday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta, in Ikwerre Local Government Area, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt.

Welcoming Tinubu to the stadium, Wike said the venue had a seating capacity of “40,000, not 20,000, not 16,000, not 10,000”, and stressed that the crowd had been mobilised solely from Rivers State.

“This is Rivers State rally. We did not mobilise anybody from any other state,” Wike said.

He recalled that when Tinubu came to campaign in 2022 and 2023, he used the Yakubu Gowon Stadium at Elekahia in Port Harcourt City, but that he was now using the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

“Your Excellency, you can see with your eyes that there’s nothing to say other than Rivers State has already concluded, has already agreed, come 16th of January they will vote for you,” Wike said.

The former Rivers governor took a swipe at the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying he had boasted on a television programme that he did not need to campaign because he was very popular.

“Let it be on record that the vice-presidential candidate of ADC has told the world that he does not need to campaign in Rivers State. Let it not be tomorrow now he said he campaigned and the election was rigged. He did not campaign and nobody is going to vote for him,” Wike said.

He also recalled Tinubu’s definition of brotherhood in 2023: that a brother is a man who identifies with you in your problem, and that brotherhood in politics has nothing to do with blood relationship.

“Now, who is our brother? Our brother is Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because he has identified with people of Rivers State,” Wike declared, as the crowd chorused in agreement.

According to Wike, Tinubu has completed the Port Harcourt-Bodo-Bonny Road, established a Federal University of Environment in Ogoni, and given Rivers people no fewer than 47 political appointments since the inception of democracy in 1999.

“Rivers people have never had it this way,” he said.

Wike said the APC was not relenting but was campaigning every day, and challenged the ADC vice-presidential candidate to come and give an account of how he “fumigated” Rivers State against mosquitoes.

“Has mosquito gone? Is mosquito not biting you?” he asked, drawing laughter from the crowd.