Nyesom Wike has challenged fellow governors over President Bola Tinubu’s political support base, declaring that he would resign if Tinubu fails to secure victory in the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State.

President Bola Tinubu and Nyesom Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to announce his resignation on January 17, 2027, if President Bola Tinubu loses the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election.

Addressing the leadership and members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja yesterday, he reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, stating that his continued stay in office would be difficult to justify if he failed to deliver electoral support for the president in the FCT, where he currently serves as minister, and Rivers State, his home state.

“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not 

worthy to be here,” Wike said.

Meanwhile, in an apparent challenge to the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), which is opposed to his Rainbow Coalition, Wike urged Tinubu’s supporters to prove their capacity by the All Progressives Congress (APC) performance in the January 16, 2027 presidential poll.

Explaining how he achieved his victory for Tinubu in Rivers and the FCT, which are far apart, Wike said that just as his works speak for him in his home state, the FCT administration was building a multi-party coalition to secure victory across various elective offices in the FCT.

Wike, who has remained a prominent supporter of Tinubu despite belonging to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said support for the president would extend to candidates contesting legislative seats in the FCT. According to him, a multi-party coalition was being assembled in the territory to mobilise support for candidates across the various elective positions.

Wike also endorsed the former FCT Senator, Philip Aduda, for the Senate, describing him as “a man of the people,” while endorsing former area council chairmen for the House of Representatives seats.

The declaration came against the backdrop of Wike’s increasingly visible role in mobilising political support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.