The Rivers State leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown out the welcome mat for Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Why? Because apparently, they need him to pull off another grand betrayal of his party and support them in the 2027 presidential election to ensure Bola Tinubu gets a second term.
Tony Okocha, the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, spilled the beans during a one-million-man march in Port Harcourt. He waxed lyrical about Wike, calling him a political strategist with the fabled Midas touch. According to Okocha, if Wike jumps ship and joins APC, it would be a walk in the park for Tinubu to win Rivers State in the next election.
Okocha didn’t mince words: “Wike is the leader of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ in Rivers State. Wike was responsible for Tinubu’s victory in Rivers State. Wike is a reformer and he is our leader in Rivers State.”
As if plastering Wike’s picture next to Tinubu’s on their banners wasn’t clear enough, Okocha emphasized, “This isn’t an APC event. This is Renewed Hope, Mr. President’s family in Rivers State. Wike is the game changer. We’ve been wooing him to help us win future elections for Mr. President, particularly in 2027.”
Apparently, Reflecting on past challenges, Okocha claimed the local APC leadership sabotaged their efforts, calling Tinubu too old and senile. They painted a grim picture of a frail candidate on the brink of collapse, spreading tales of his supposed medical unfitness across social media.
Defending Tinubu, Okocha retorted, “I want to state here that President Tinubu is the best thing that happened to Nigeria. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Nigeria suffered political, economic, and socio-cultural setbacks for decades. Can he possibly fix it all in one year? The process began the day he took office. He was clear about wanting to fix Nigeria and scrapping fuel subsidies.”
Okocha also boasted about the financial windfall states and local governments are supposedly enjoying under Tinubu’s administration. He highlighted a massive project that, according to him, will span the entire country and is being carried out under Tinubu’s watch.
He concluded by underscoring Wike’s crucial role in Tinubu’s 2023 victory in Rivers State, stressing that the APC needs him to repeat this feat in 2027.
But for many Nigerians, this political pill is hard to swallow. While politicians paint a rosy picture of change and progress, ordinary citizens are left asking, “What change?” Nigeria remains tough for many, and the so-called “Renewed Hope” feels like nothing but empty promises.
