The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taunted politicians who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and publicly pledged support for President Bola Tinubu, saying they were absent when their support mattered most.
Wike, who described himself as one of the most criticised politicians in the country after President Tinubu, said politics in Rivers State would formally commence from January 2026.
He made the remarks on Saturday during a thanksgiving service organised by the Chairman of the South-South Development Commission, Chibudom Nwuche, and his family in Ochiba community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The former Rivers State governor praised the people of Ahoada East and Ahoada West for standing by him during the 2023 elections, noting that their loyalty contributed to Tinubu’s victory.
“You remember in 2023, when it was tough and many doubted Tinubu’s chances. So many people could not come out to vote. But here, we stood firm and said, ‘On your mandate, we stand,’” Wike said.
Taking a swipe at recent defectors, including a veiled reference to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wike said their current show of loyalty was belated.
“All these people you see now singing ‘on your mandate we stand’; when they were needed most, they couldn’t. They couldn’t vote for Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” he stated.
Wike stressed the importance of conviction and loyalty in politics, warning against opportunistic alignments. “We have never wavered in our support for Bola Tinubu. When we take a decision, it is based on conviction, not on what people are doing,” he said.