2027: Wike targets 3m votes for Tinubu in Rivers

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has set a three-million-vote target for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in Rivers State, directing campaign council members to mobilise at least five voters daily.

Wike gave the directive during the inauguration of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)/Rainbow Coalition Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, where he charged its over 700 members to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike, who coordinates the Tinubu campaign council and leads the Rainbow Coalition, said the campaign would move away from conventional rallies to door-to-door engagements and community meetings.

“We are going to depart from that ceremonial campaign style of converging in one place and saying we are holding a rally.

“Rather, we are going to go out to communities, to family meetings, to age-grade meetings, and to the markets to talk to them vigorously. Tell them why Tinubu should be re-elected,” he said.

He tasked each member with securing at least five voters daily, saying the cumulative effort of council members and subcommittees would help achieve the three-million-vote target.

“You must be found working. Take it as a point of duty: every day, I will get at least five voters that will vote for Tinubu and members of the National Assembly,” Wike said.

The former Rivers governor also announced that local government campaign councils would be inaugurated within one week, while subcommittee chairmen and members would be finalised by Monday.

He assured party supporters whose names were omitted from the central council that they would be accommodated in the subcommittees, which he described as the campaign’s operational backbone.

Wike defended the Rainbow Coalition, which brings together members of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), saying the alliance would pool support across party lines to secure victory for Tinubu.

He urged members to focus on issue-based campaigns highlighting the administration’s achievements in Rivers State and avoid distractions from opposition parties.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, also pledged support for the coalition, describing the newly inaugurated council as bigger and better coordinated than the structure that secured victory in 2023.

Wike defends Tinubu’s reforms, says FCT youths, women neglected for decades

Fubara said former political adversaries had now united to work for the state and Tinubu’s re-election.

“Nothing is impossible. The only thing that is not possible is to revive the dead. If we take this as a serious task that must be achieved, we will come out decisively with a stronger vote than what we did in 2023,” he said.

The governor warned against double-dealing, urging members to demonstrate genuine commitment to the campaign.

Earlier, the campaign council’s Director of Administration, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, said its members would mobilise across the state’s 6,866 polling units.

Akawor said Rivers elders had already committed to delivering three million votes for Tinubu, adding that the campaign machinery was ready to reach communities across the state.