‘I won’t fold my hands for Atiku to win’: Wike defends Rivers visits ahead of 2027 polls

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not remain passive and allow former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to win the 2027 presidential election.

Wike also dismissed reports that he was planning to relocate to Rivers State, saying his frequent visits to the state were part of efforts to remain politically engaged with his people.

“You want me to fold my hands for Atiku Abubakar to come and win the election?” Wike asked journalists during his monthly media parley in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

The minister said he had no intention of abandoning his responsibilities in Abuja but would continue to maintain close contact with political developments in Rivers State.

The former two-term governor of Rivers State added: “It’s not about relocating; it’s about coming home to relate with the people and talk to them, and also do those things you know how to do very well, not to take chances,” he said.

“So, I’m not relocating. I don’t need to relocate, but I also have to be in touch with my people so that I don’t just sit in Abuja and then say that everything is going on well there.”

Wike vows to complete all Tinubu-era FCT projects before end of tenure

Wike said he would not rely solely on assurances from political associates that all was well in Rivers State, particularly as the 2027 general election approaches.

“I don’t want to sit in Abuja and candidates are saying, ‘Oh, don’t bother, everything is going on well’. I have to come home and see that all those things are going on. ‘Have you done this? What about this?’” Wike said.

He stressed that the period had become politically significant and required active engagement, insisting that his presence in Rivers State should not be interpreted as a plan to relocate from the nation’s capital.

Wike added that his parents were still alive and that he had strong personal and political ties to his home state, making regular visits necessary as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.