Politics
'Don't take my support for Tinubu for granted', Wike warns APC
Written By: Emmanuel Ikhenebome
05 Jan 2026 03:30 PM
Oyingbo, Rivers – In a fiery address during a "thank you" visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area in Rivers State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike issued a stark warning to the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, to avoid meddling in the state's politics.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers and a key figure in the ongoing political drama in the oil-rich state, emphasized that Rivers remains a "no-go area" for external interference and cautioned against taking the state's support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections for granted.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Wike and current Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, a rift that has spilled over into national party dynamics.
Wike accused Basiru of making "unnecessary comments" about Rivers affairs.
"I say it here, take this message to your National Secretary, leave Rivers State alone. Go and ask those who have done it before. This state is a no-go area. Take the one you have taken, stop making unnecessary comments," Wike stated during the rally
Wike's outburst was in direct response to Basiru's recent criticism of APC's South-South Vice Chairman, Victor Giadom, who reportedly referred to Fubara as a "so-called governor" in an apparent bid to align with Wike.
Basiru, in a statement quoted widely on social media and news outlets, condemned the remark as unbecoming, stressing the need for respect toward elected officials regardless of political allegiances.
"The office of the governor is an exalted position, and whoever is occupying it must be respected, irrespective of whatever political differences you have or whatever animosity exists between them," Basiru said.
The feud traces back to Wike's fallout with Fubara, his successor, over control of Rivers' political structures.
Wike, who played a pivotal role in delivering Rivers' votes to Tinubu in 2023 despite being in the PDP, has been accused by critics of attempting to maintain a godfather-like influence.
As Rivers State grapples with these power struggles, observers say the outcome could influence national politics, particularly with the state's significant oil revenues and electoral weight at stake.
Wike's allies maintain that his actions are about protecting the state's interests, while opponents view it as a desperate bid to retain control.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers and a key figure in the ongoing political drama in the oil-rich state, emphasized that Rivers remains a "no-go area" for external interference and cautioned against taking the state's support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections for granted.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Wike and current Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, a rift that has spilled over into national party dynamics.
Wike accused Basiru of making "unnecessary comments" about Rivers affairs.
"I say it here, take this message to your National Secretary, leave Rivers State alone. Go and ask those who have done it before. This state is a no-go area. Take the one you have taken, stop making unnecessary comments," Wike stated during the rally
Wike's outburst was in direct response to Basiru's recent criticism of APC's South-South Vice Chairman, Victor Giadom, who reportedly referred to Fubara as a "so-called governor" in an apparent bid to align with Wike.
Basiru, in a statement quoted widely on social media and news outlets, condemned the remark as unbecoming, stressing the need for respect toward elected officials regardless of political allegiances.
"The office of the governor is an exalted position, and whoever is occupying it must be respected, irrespective of whatever political differences you have or whatever animosity exists between them," Basiru said.
The feud traces back to Wike's fallout with Fubara, his successor, over control of Rivers' political structures.
Wike, who played a pivotal role in delivering Rivers' votes to Tinubu in 2023 despite being in the PDP, has been accused by critics of attempting to maintain a godfather-like influence.
As Rivers State grapples with these power struggles, observers say the outcome could influence national politics, particularly with the state's significant oil revenues and electoral weight at stake.
Wike's allies maintain that his actions are about protecting the state's interests, while opponents view it as a desperate bid to retain control.
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