Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ruled out the possibility of contesting against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Wike recently stirred political speculation by urging his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. This move led many to believe he might be preparing to run against Tinubu. However, in an interview with BBC News Pidgin published over the weekend, Wike made it clear that he had no such intention.
“I will not contest. Why will I contest against someone I’m working for?” Wike said, reaffirming his loyalty to President Tinubu’s administration.
The former Rivers State governor emphasised that there is currently no opposition candidate strong enough to challenge the president successfully. “I will not contest again. I cannot contest against someone I am working with. Who will win except him?” he added.
On the PDP’s zoning debate, Wike remarked, “They said they would zone it to the South, let them zone first. When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it.”
Addressing the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, Wike denied reports of a feud with the suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Describing Fubara as his “son,” Wike insisted that he harboured no personal conflict with the governor.
“That one is not a battle. He (Fubara) is my boy, he is my son, why will I fight with him? I’m only fighting against people who want to steal what they did not work for.
“Now, they are ashamed because they are being defeated. They are the ones pushing Fubara,” he said.