The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he would be among the first politicians targeted by opposition leaders if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election.
Wike said his open support for Tinubu, despite remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, had put him in a politically vulnerable position, particularly because of his long-running disagreement with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
The minister spoke on Wednesday during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while explaining why he would continue to campaign for Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike said his political activities against Atiku and other opposition figures meant he could not afford to remain passive and watch the President lose the election.
“My concern is, I will support Mr President. If you watch what is happening today and look at it, peradventure anything happens and Mr President fails today, I will be the first politician that Atiku or Obi will hunt for his head,” he said.
Wike and Atiku have remained political rivals since the 2022 PDP presidential primary, which Atiku won ahead of the former Rivers State governor.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party platform and is expected to be a major contender in 2027, had also sought Wike’s support for his presidential ambition.
However, Wike eventually backed Tinubu in the 2023 election and has remained one of the President’s prominent political supporters.
Explaining his position ahead of 2027, the minister said he would not allow Atiku to defeat Tinubu without putting up a fight.
“You want me to fold my hands for Atiku Abubakar to come and win the election?” Wike asked.
He argued that his continued support for Tinubu was therefore not merely about political loyalty but also about protecting his own political interests.
Wike also dismissed speculation that his frequent visits to Rivers State meant he was preparing to relocate from Abuja.
According to him, his trips to the state were necessary to maintain contact with his political supporters and monitor developments ahead of the 2027 elections.
“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.
The minister said he would not depend solely on reports from political associates that everything was under control in Rivers State.
“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,” Wike added.
Meanwhile, Wike said the FCT Administration would complete all capital projects initiated under Tinubu before the end of the President’s tenure.
He said the administration had initiated 107 capital projects in the nation’s capital, with 76 already completed.
According to him, another 10 projects would be inaugurated before the January 2027 elections, while the remaining projects would be completed before the expiration of the administration.
“Before this tenure expires, every project started under Bola Tinubu would have been completed,” Wike said.
The minister also disclosed that the FCTA had completed 23 of the 25 projects inherited from the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said work was ongoing on the remaining two projects.
Wike added that the FCTA inherited eight projects from the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Umaru Yar’Adua, completing six while work continued on two.
The minister challenged critics to compare the infrastructure development recorded under the Tinubu administration in Abuja with those of previous governments.
“In the history of the FCT, no government has done what we have done in Abuja. I challenge anyone to come out,” he stated.
