The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his “total support” for President Bola Tinubu as political tensions continue to simmer around Rivers State politics.
Wike made the declaration in a post on X on Tuesday, January 6, while updating supporters on his ongoing tour of local government areas in Rivers State.
In the post, the FCT minister said his engagements had moved from Oyigbo and Ogu-Bolo to Akuku-Toru and Degema, stressing that the visits were centred on local politics and loyalty to the President.
“Yesterday, we were in Oyigbo and Ogu-Bolo LGAs. Today, we will be in Akuku-Toru and Degema LGAs,” Wike wrote.
“Here, it is local politics, and our support for Mr President is total.”
Wike’s comments come against the backdrop of an escalating war of words with the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru.
On Monday, Basiru asked Wike to resign his ministerial position and focus on what he described as an “obsession” with Rivers State politics.
Basiru’s call followed a warning from Wike, who accused the APC scribe of interfering in Rivers politics and cautioned that his “hands will burn” if he continued.
The crisis deepened last week when the APC’s South-South National Vice Chairman, Victor Giadom, openly backed Wike in his feud with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
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“To the so-called governor of Rivers state, to win anything in this state, you must go through Wike,” Giadom said.
The remark drew a sharp reaction from Basiru, who warned Giadom against what he described as disrespectful language towards a sitting governor.
“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.
Wike, however, viewed Basiru’s response as taking sides in Rivers politics and issued a stern warning.
“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 said.
The FCT minister’s opposition to Governor Fubara has reportedly put him at odds with some APC figures.
Wike has also dismissed praise from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who said President Tinubu was satisfied with Fubara’s performance.
Following Fubara’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in December, Wike began openly campaigning against the governor’s re-election.
He has accused Fubara of breaching the agreement they both signed before President Tinubu lifted the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State.