Wike targets 3m votes for Tinubu in Rivers

By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA—Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, directing members to recruit at least five new voters daily to secure victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election. Wike, who inaugurated the council on Thursday, set a target of three million votes for Tinubu in the state, urging members to work hard, remain focused and pursue issue-based campaigns.

He dismissed concerns over confusion surrounding appointments into the various committees, saying the list of chairmen and members of the subcommittees would be ready by Monday to enable them to commence work. “I am sure by Monday the list of the chairmen and members of the various subcommittees will have been prepared so that the chairmen can kick-start by inviting their various committee members.

It is very important,” he said. Wike expressed confidence in the president’s victory in Rivers, declaring that the task before the council was to secure the targeted votes. “Everybody knows that we are going to win election in Rivers State. So we are not talking about winning now,” he said. Recalling a discussion with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on the three-million-vote target, Wike said he had assured him that the figure was achievable through hard work.

“He said, ‘How much is the registered votes here?’ I said, ‘over three million.’ He said, ‘Okay, you will bring three million.’ I said, ‘Well, we will try’. I know that three million, if we work hard, it is easy,” he recalled. The minister urged council members to see their appointments as an opportunity to work for the Rainbow Coalition, stressing the need for unity and discipline in the face of opposition provocations.

He cited the position of the Olubadan of Ibadanland and former Oyo State governor, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, who reportedly expressed support for the coalition during a courtesy visit by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Working Committee. Wike said Ladoja had indicated that, but for his position as a traditional ruler, he would have joined the Rainbow Coalition, which he described as a platform for bringing together different political interests to secure Tinubu’s re-election.

In his remarks, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, described the new campaign council as bigger, wider and better coordinated than the structure that secured victory for Tinubu in 2023. He said former political adversaries had now closed ranks to work together for the state and the President. “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,” Fubara said. Fubara assured members who were not included in the initial appointments that they would be accommodated in the subcommittees. He also cautioned against double-dealing, urging members to demonstrate genuine commitment rather than profess loyalty publicly while undermining the campaign behind closed doors.

“I am here, and I say it boldly anywhere, any day, in private and in secret: I have taken this position,” he said. representing HRH Roman Dereatebe, Paramount Ruler of Letugbene Federated Community, on behalf of traditional rulers and critical stakeholders of the EA field host communities at a briefing held in Yenagoa, yesterday. The resolution was issued in response to a November 3, 2026, briefing reportedly led by HRH Decca Keredei, Amananawei of Amatu-1 Community, which questioned the legitimacy of the CCPMC, its chairman and the circumstances surrounding its formation.

The stakeholders described the allegations as misleading, insisting that the committee emerged from consultations and agreements involving traditional rulers, community development committees,CDCs, women, youths, opinion leaders and other interest groups across the four kingdoms. According to them, the process of constituting the committee began in 2025, with traditional rulers and other prominent community leaders consulted before nominations were made to ensure representation across the various stakeholder groups.

They further claimed that Keredei, who was nominated to represent traditional rulers on the committee, was informed of its inauguration and had indicated his intention to attend but was eventually represented by the Deputy Amananawei of Amatu-1. The stakeholders said Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, the Department of State Services, DSS, the police, the Bayelsa State Government and traditional rulers were also invited to the inauguration.

They questioned why those now challenging the committee’s legitimacy did not raise objections during the consultations, nomination and inauguration processes.