2027: I Won’t Fold My Arms For Atiku To Win — Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to remain politically active in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 presidential election, declaring that he will not sit back and allow former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to win the presidential contest.

Wike made the declaration on Wednesday during his monthly media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he also dismissed speculation that his frequent visits to the state were a prelude to his relocation from Abuja.

The former Rivers State governor said his return to the state was driven by the need to remain in touch with his political base and monitor developments ahead of the 2027 elections.

“You want me to fold my hand for Atiku Abubakar to come and win the election?” Wike asked.

He insisted that his frequent presence in Rivers did not mean he was abandoning his responsibilities as FCT minister or relocating from the nation’s capital.

“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.

“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 there well,” he said.

Wike said he would not depend solely on assurances from political associates that all was well in Rivers State, stressing that he needed to personally assess the political situation as preparations for the 2027 polls intensify.

“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?’” he said.

The minister stressed that the current political climate required active engagement, particularly with the 2027 elections approaching.

He said his continued presence in Rivers should therefore not be interpreted as an intention to relocate from Abuja, noting that his family and longstanding political ties remained rooted in the state.

Wike added that his parents were still alive and that he maintained strong personal and political relationships in Rivers, making regular visits to the state necessary as the political contest ahead of 2027 gathers momentum.