The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed any speculation that he plans to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Wike recently sparked political debate by calling on his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. This prompted widespread assumptions that he might be positioning himself for a presidential run. However, in a recent interview with BBC News Pidgin, Wike firmly stated that he has no intention of running against President Tinubu.
“I will not contest. Why would I contest against someone I’m working for?” he said, expressing his continued support for the Tinubu administration.
The former Rivers State governor also questioned the viability of any opposition candidate defeating Tinubu. “I will not contest again. I cannot contest against someone I am working with. Who else can win besides him?” he added.
Speaking on the PDP’s internal zoning arrangements, Wike said, “They said they would zone it to the South—let them do that first. When we get to that point, we’ll know how to handle it.”
On the political crisis in Rivers State, Wike denied any rift with suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing him as a protégé. “That’s not a battle. He is my boy, my son. Why would I fight with him? My issue is with those trying to claim what they didn’t work for,” he said.
According to Wike, those behind the unrest in the state are the ones influencing Fubara. “They are now embarrassed because they are losing. They’re the ones pushing him,” he concluded.
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