The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that he has not endorsed any individual for the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State.

Speaking in Abuja during his monthly media chat on Wednesday, Wike said he cannot endorse anyone until the joint coalition involving members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state meets.

“I have not (endorsed anybody) and I cannot endorse somebody until the joint coalition meets,” Wike said during the media chat.

“We have loyalists in PDP, we have loyalists in APC. I have never hidden the fact that everywhere you say rainbow coalition. We have put ourselves together and it is a political strategy because we have somebody we will fight.”

The former Rivers State governor also said that the coalition in the state is not working with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is also reportedly eyeing the APC ticket for the 2027 election in the state.

Wike accused the governor of reneging on an agreement reached with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly before President Bola Tinubu, an agreement he said prevented Fubara’s impeachment.

“You know that we and Fubara are not working. So, as politicians, we must strategize, I don’t need to come and unveil our strategy to you.

“The president intervened in the impeachment palava and said ‘hold on, let’s have peace’. And the governor said ‘I am ready for peace, I’m no longer interested in this, I will not do this’.

“The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment before a president of a country. Now, having withdrawn the impeachment, you are now too smart on what you agreed before the president,” he said.

There has been a prolonged political rift between Wike and Fubara, whom he supported in 2023 to succeed him as governor of Rivers State, over control of political structures in the oil-rich South-South state.

The crisis escalated when lawmakers loyal to the FCT minister—led by Martin Amaewhule—attempted to impeach Fubara.

This development led President Bola Tinubu to suspend Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in March 2025, following the prolonged political impasse.

Following the suspension, Tinubu appointed and swore in retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator of the state.

After six months, however, the President lifted the emergency rule, allowing Fubara, his deputy, and the lawmakers to return.

The lifting of the emergency rule followed a meeting in June between President Tinubu, Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule, and other lawmakers, which led to a reconciliation of the key political actors in the crisis. (Channels TV)

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