Wike tells Rivers youths Tinubu will win state in 2027, knocks Atiku and Obi

Rivers State will throw its weight behind President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, told a gathering of young people in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Wike spoke at an event organised by the Rivers State Rainbow Coalition, where he urged the youths to take the campaign to communities and grassroots leaders. He also said the coalition would unveil its candidates on October 27.

His remarks took aim at two opposition figures. He questioned the reliability of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, saying he had shared a party with him and found his word inconsistent. Wike also called the former Anambra governor Peter Obi a "social media president" and a "fake" politician.

Leadership reported that Wike referred to Atiku as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Why Wike says Rivers is backing Tinubu

Wike argued that Rivers has gained more from the current Federal Government than from past administrations in the current democratic era. He said at least 49 people from the state hold senior federal positions, a figure he called unprecedented.

He also pointed to the Bonny-Bodo road and bridge project, saying it has opened up communities that were previously hard to reach by road.

"Whether you are Atiku, whether you are Obi, Rivers State is for Tinubu," Wike said, according to both reports.

He told the crowd that leadership should be judged by what it delivers rather than by appearance, saying the focus should be on those who will make a difference for Nigerians and for Rivers people.

Chinda promises skills, youth jobs

The APC governorship candidate in Rivers, Kingsley Chinda, also spoke, pledging to put youth empowerment, vocational training and community development at the centre of his plans.

Chinda said he would reshape the state's education system so that technical and vocational skills are taught from primary through secondary school. He wants Rivers to produce its own tilers, carpenters and electricians instead of relying on artisans from outside, saying people currently look towards Cotonou for such services.

"We can only build the state if we build the youths," he said.

He added that chairmen of the state's 23 local government areas would be expected to make youth welfare and vocational centres a priority.

Youth leaders at the event pledged to mobilise for Tinubu and the coalition's candidates. Chima Aguma, who coordinates the coalition's youth wing, promised grassroots support. Bani Nwisabari, Rivers chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, presented Wike with a recognition plaque. Justice Uranta, president of the National Union of Rivers State Students, said students would campaign across the 23 local government areas, campuses and among Rivers indigenes abroad.

What happens next: The Rainbow Coalition says it will present its candidates on October 27, a step that will show how its support for Tinubu fits with its own state-level races ahead of 2027.