Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, that key allies of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are now backing President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at a New Year banquet in Port Harcourt, Fubara had said figures such as former PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, ex-Deputy Speaker Austin Opara, Senator Abiye Sekibo and former governor Celestine Omehia were now aligned with him and President Tinubu.
Reacting on Thursday during an event in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) Local Government Area, Wike mocked the political weight of those mentioned, insisting they failed to deliver even 10 per cent of the votes for Atiku in Rivers State during the 2023 presidential election.
“I heard somebody saying, ‘Those who wanted Atiku are back,’” Wike said. “They couldn’t give Atiku 10 per cent in 2023. So what is the political advantage?”
The former Rivers governor assured President Tinubu of his full backing ahead of the 2027 elections, pledging to mobilise total support for the president’s re-election bid.
Wike also took a swipe at the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Mbata, over comments describing him as a “semi-illiterate.”
“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have responded,” Wike said, “but the same person who called me a semi-illiterate dropped out of Rivers State University while studying law. I graduated from the University of Port Harcourt, went to law school, and today I am a Life Bencher.”
He added pointedly: “This so-called semi-illiterate holds the fourth highest national honour in Nigeria.”
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