By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has described, as unprecedented, the number of Rivers State indigenes being empowered by the All Progressive Congress, APC, Federal Government.
At his monthly media interactive session on Monday, September 1, 2025, Wike the immediate past Governor of Rivers state and a Peoples Democratic party PDP chieftain , expressed the fear that the APC has now become a potent threat to his political structure and control in the State going by its rapid in-road.
The Source reports that the APC which is solidly backed and promoted by Wike himself, despite professing to be a PDP member, swept last Saturday’s Local Council Polls in the State.
The ruling party at the centre won 20 out of the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, including Wike’s home council- Obio/Akpo, in an exercise which not a few have described as “pre-arranged” between the FCT Minister and the APC
The PDP, the acclaimed party of Wike was “allocated” three of the local Governments during the election which all other parties boycotted .
“I have a problem as a member of PDP. Do you know why? What is going on now is unprecedented in the history of Rivers State.
“I have never witnessed the level of massive empowerment ongoing in the State from the Federal Government. In fact, I have never seen any state in the country with more empowerment in terms of political appointments than Rivers state.
The situation is now a problem for me as a member of PDP. Since the history of Rivers, be it military or civilian administrations, the State has never recorded the kind of massive empowerment as it has done under the present President Tinubu’s regime.
So, it has become a threat to me now because the people are leaning towards the APC, as demonstrated during the just concluded local council election.
“Even when you are preaching, the people will ask you what you are actually preaching. APC is a threat to me, whether PDP likes it or not.
“However, the only thing going for me at the moment is that my people still have confidence in me as a leader.
“But the reality on the ground is that APC is now a big threat to me in Rivers State”, the FCT Minister stated
The Source further reports that after partnering with the quartet of ex-Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ,Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Seyi Makinde, and Samuel Ortom of Enugu ,Abia ,Oyo and Benue states respectively, to assist President Tinubu against their Party’s Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar during the 2023, Wike has remained the greatest beneficiary of their common sweat.
Apart from being the only one among them that was given a plum job as FCT Minister, his State, as he affirmed is truly reaping bountifully from the collective struggle, with most others picking the crumbs.
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