ABUJA — Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has made one of his strongest political commitments yet ahead of the 2027 presidential election, declaring that he will resign if President Bola Tinubu fails to win Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.
Wike said he would announce his resignation on January 17, 2027 if the President loses either of the political battlegrounds he has pledged to deliver.
The former Rivers State governor made the declaration during a meeting with members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja.
“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here,” Wike said.
His statement effectively ties his continued membership of Tinubu’s cabinet to the President’s electoral performance in the FCT and Rivers, where Wike remains an influential political figure.
Wike said political actors were building a broad coalition across party lines to support Tinubu.
He also openly backed Philip Aduda for the Senate and selected candidates for the House of Representatives.
The meeting was primarily convened to resolve the longstanding relocation and land allocation dispute involving mechanics and traders in the Apo corridor.
Previous attempts to relocate the traders had been complicated by disputes over beneficiary lists and allegations that people without genuine businesses were inserted into the process.
Wike ordered physical verification of beneficiaries and granted legitimate operators who had not been captured an additional three days to present themselves.
More than 4,000 verified beneficiaries could eventually receive plots, according to FCT officials.
But Wike’s political declaration is likely to overshadow the administrative purpose of the meeting.
With the 2027 contest approaching, his promise has effectively placed a measurable political test against his continued tenure as FCT Minister.
