The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has advised opposition political parties to remove Rivers State from their target in 2027, saying the state is for President Bola Tinubu to win.

Mr Wike made the remark on Tuesday during his monthly media chat in Abuja, urging political observers to “cancel Rivers” from their electoral calculations especially for the presidential vote.

He stated that a broad political coalition comprising members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP), the Action Alliance (AA) and other political groups had resolved to work together in the interest of Rivers State and Mr Tinubu’s re-election.

“If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can count Rivers is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I’m not talking because I want to talk; I’m talking as a political realist because I know my people,” he added.

Mr Wike said that the coalition was deliberately designed to move beyond party affiliations by supporting candidates considered most capable of serving the state’s interests.

“Today, we have PDP, APC, Labour Party and AA all together. We have candidates across different political parties for the House of Assembly and National Assembly.

“We will support the candidate who is most acceptable. Whoever emerges should not be seen as APC or PDP; the person should be seen as the coalition’s candidate.

“All we are doing is for one purpose, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is all-inclusive and it is spreading like wildfire,” he added.

The minister dismissed suggestions that the arrangement was intended to strengthen any particular political party, insisting that the overriding objective was to attract greater development to Rivers State.

Mr Wike boasted that his political career had spanned over two decades since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, adding that the experience taught him that successful politics requires strategic thinking.

“I have been in politics since 1999. Nobody can teach me politics or tell me how to navigate it. Politics is about leadership and understanding the interests of your people,” he said.

He maintained that his political strength derives from the confidence the Rivers people has in his leadership.

“Once the people trust you, they believe that what you tell them will happen. Leadership is about carrying the people along, and that is what we have continued to do,” Wike added.