I will support Tinubu’s re-election bid — Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he will support the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu and that he has no regrets doing so during the 2023 presidential election.

Wike who was the governor of Rivers State for eight years under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supported Tinubu all the way till the latter became president.

Tinubu who won the election as the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in return appointed Wike as the FCT minister.

The former governor of Rivers State has now said that he would do the same thing, and support Tinubu’s election bid if another opportunity comes. Wike, who said this during a thanksgiving service in Ochigba by the PDP in Ahoada East and West Local Government Areas of Rivers State, also thanked Tinubu for believing in him.

“I have no regrets, I have no apologies. If the opportunity comes I will do the same thing,” he said.

He also dismissed the allegations of land grabbing made against him by some residents of the FCT, Abuja, explaining that the right things must be done.

Wike added that those in possession of government land must do the right thing or risk their plots of land being revoked, as he will always stand by the law.

The minister in his address also described as laughable the allegation of land grabbing made against him.

“I am in charge of lands in Abuja, how will I go and grab what I am in charge of? We must thank Mr President; if he did not give us this opportunity, we wouldn’t have known. Here in Rivers State, we thought it was difficult,” he said.

“When you go to the capital, you know you are dealing with the entire Nigerians. I can assure you, no matter the cry you cry, no matter the propaganda you carry, if you like give me any name you want to give me, the right thing must be done.”

Tinubu earlier this week praised Wike for his performance in Abuja since assuming office as FCT minister, saying his quest to make things right was commendable.
Tinubu said this about Wike during his first presidential media chat with select senior journalists in Lagos where is presently on Christmas and New Year vacation on Monday night.

The president was asked about the controversies surrounding Wike given his governance style in the FCT, particularly regarding ongoing demolitions of illegal structures, allegations of land grabbing against the Minister and revocation of land titles, to which Tinubu responded, saying Wike “is a good man” and a “performing minister.”

“Nyesom Wike is a good man, he is a performing minister. Nigerians lack compliance, period!” Tinubu said.

“We don’t pay our ground rent on time. We see compliance as inconvenience. I doff my hat for him,” Tinubu said, highlighting the FCT minister’s commitment to ensuring compliance with regulations, a trait he said Nigerians often lacked.