Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has acknowledged the political risks of his open support for President Bola Tinubu and said he could become the first target of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi if the President loses the 2027 election.
Wike made the disclosure on Wednesday during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he explained why he had continued to campaign for Tinubu despite retaining his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The minister said his political confrontation with opposition figures had placed him in a vulnerable position should the presidential contest produce a result unfavourable to Tinubu.
“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.
“I challenge anybody. So, I won’t make that mistake of sleeping to see that the President loses the election,” Woke said.
Wike’s relationship with Atiku has been strained since the 2022 PDP presidential primary, when the former Vice-President secured the party’s ticket ahead of the former Rivers governor.
His political ties with Obi also date back to the 2023 election, when Obi, then the Labour Party presidential candidate, sought Wike’s backing. Wike nevertheless supported Tinubu during that contest.
The FCT minister said his position had left him with little room for political passivity ahead of the next presidential election.
“You want me to fold my hands for Atiku Abubakar to come and win the election?” he asked.
His comments came alongside an explanation of his frequent visits to Rivers State, amid reports that he was preparing to relocate from Abuja.
Wike rejected the suggestion, saying his presence in the state was intended to maintain direct contact with his political supporters and assess developments himself.
“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.
He added that he would not depend exclusively on assurances from political associates that affairs in Rivers were under control.
“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 also used the media engagement to highlight infrastructure work in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under Tinubu.
He said 107 capital projects had been initiated under the administration, with 76 already completed. Another 10, he disclosed, would be commissioned before the January elections, while the rest were expected to be completed before the end of Tinubu’s tenure.
“Before this tenure expires, every project started under Bola Tinubu would have been completed,” Wike said.
He also reported progress on projects inherited from previous administrations.
According to him, the FCT Administration inherited 25 projects from former President Muhammadu Buhari and had completed 23, while two were still under construction.
It also inherited eight projects from the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Umaru Yar’Adua, completing six and continuing work on two.
Wike subsequently challenged critics to compare the infrastructure record of 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 said.
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