By chatnewstv.com
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (chatnewstv.com) — Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike dismissed growing calls for his removal on Sunday, asserting that only President Bola Tinubu holds the authority to dismiss him from his cabinet.
Speaking during a “thank-you” visit to his home Local Government Area of Obio-Akpor in Rivers State, Wike addressed recent pressure from political opponents and interest groups urging the president to sack him amid a protracted political crisis in the state.
“Don’t bother about people who say ‘sack him.’ If my appointor believes that I cannot offer anything again, he has the right; it is not in your place to tell him what to do,” Wike told a crowd of supporters. He added that the president “knows my worth” and does not require outside advice on ministerial appointments.
The minister, a former two-term governor of Rivers, emphasized that his political career is driven by “interest” rather than emotion. He maintained that Obio-Akpor remains the kingmaker of Rivers politics, claiming no governor or senator for Rivers East has been elected without the area’s endorsement.
“So, if you like, abuse us; after abusing us, come and look for our votes and we will punish you with the votes,” Wike said.
The visit served as the grand finale of a 17-day statewide tour intended to consolidate his political structure ahead of the 2027 general elections. Wike reaffirmed his loyalty to the president, promising that the people of Rivers would return the favor for Tinubu’s support of the state by voting for his reelection.
During the event, Kingsley Chinda, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, highlighted the strategic importance of the region. He noted that Obio-Akpor accounts for more than 684,000 of the 3.5 million registered voters in Rivers State—nearly 20% of the state’s total electorate.
“Just go home. Tell us what you want us to do and we will do it,” Chinda told the minister, underscoring the local government’s voting strength.
The Chairman of the Obio-Akpor Council, Dr. Gift Worlu, and the Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, also pledged their continued support. Amaewhule assured Wike that the state assembly remains committed to Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
“Tell Mr. President that what we did for him in 2023, we will do even better in 2027,” Amaewhule said.
The political atmosphere in Rivers remains tense as the rift continues between Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Despite previous peace efforts brokered by the presidency, both factions remain locked in a struggle for control of the oil-rich state’s political machinery.
