By Our Correspondent
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will resign from office if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election in both the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State.
Wike made the declaration on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during an engagement with leaders and members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja.
The minister said he would announce his resignation on January 17, 2027, one day after the presidential election, if Tinubu fails to win in both territories.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, linked his continued service as FCT Minister to his ability to secure electoral support for Tinubu in Abuja and his home state.
“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here,” Wike said.
He added, “If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister. By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT.”
The declaration places a specific date on Wike’s pledge and makes his ministerial position part of his political commitment ahead of the 2027 election.
Wike said that if Tinubu loses both the FCT and Rivers State, he would not wait beyond the following day before announcing his resignation.
The former Rivers governor presented the position as a matter of personal responsibility, arguing that his role in the FCT should be measured by his ability to deliver political support for the President.
“If I cannot deliver FCT as Minister, then I am not qualified to hold this office,” he said.
During the engagement, Wike also spoke about efforts to build a multi-party political coalition in the FCT ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the coalition would work across party lines and support candidates for various elective positions in the territory, while backing Tinubu for the presidency.
“Let us be clear on direction: for the Presidency, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu!” Wike told the gathering.
He also expressed support for former FCT Senator Philip Aduda for the Senate and said the coalition was backing two former area council chairmen for seats in the House of Representatives.
“In the FCT, we are running a unified coalition across parties to deliver results,” Wike said.
Wike’s decision to include Rivers State in his pledge adds another dimension to his political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The former Rivers governor has maintained strong political interests in the state since leaving office and subsequently joining President Tinubu’s federal administration.
By tying his ministerial position to Tinubu’s performance in Rivers and the FCT, Wike has publicly identified the two territories as key benchmarks for his political responsibility ahead of the election.
His latest declaration also highlights the importance he places on delivering support for Tinubu in the FCT, where he currently serves as minister, and Rivers State, where he previously served as governor.
Wike’s declaration came during an engagement with mechanics and traders in the Apo area of Abuja.
The meeting also touched on the longstanding issue of relocating mechanics and traders operating around the Apo Mechanic Village corridor to Wasa.
Reports from the meeting said the FCT Administration was working on plans concerning relocation and land allocation arrangements affecting traders and mechanics in the area.
Wike has previously engaged members of the Apo business community over the issue, with discussions focusing on infrastructure, relocation and the future organisation of commercial activities in the area.
Members of the association also spoke about improvements they said they had witnessed around the Apo area, including road infrastructure and engagement with the FCT Administration.
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027, according to the electoral timetable.
With the election approaching, political actors and groups are increasingly announcing alliances, candidates and mobilisation strategies across the country.
Wike’s latest declaration places his own ministerial future alongside the electoral performance of President Tinubu in the FCT and Rivers State.
For now, the minister has made his position clear: if Tinubu loses both territories, he says he will announce his resignation the following day.
“If I cannot deliver FCT as Minister, then I’m not qualified to hold this office,” Wike reiterated.
