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Winning Rivers, FCT More Important – Wike Reacts to APC Campaign Council Snub
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reacted to his exclusion from the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections.
The former Rivers State governor said his priority is to deliver the state and the FCT for President Bola Tinubu rather than seek a position in the campaign structure.
Wike spoke while inspecting ongoing road projects in the Apo/Karish and Kubwa-Bwari areas of Abuja.
During the inspection, Wike explained why he had deliberately avoided serving as Director-General of presidential campaign organisations in previous elections.
According to the minister, holding the position of campaign Director-General does not necessarily translate into electoral success, particularly if the person is unable to deliver his or her home state to the presidential candidate.
Wike said his experience of Nigerian politics had shown that several politicians who occupied top campaign positions eventually lost the states where they exercised political influence.
He cited the 2015 presidential election, when former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi served as Director-General of the campaign that produced Muhammadu Buhari as President but was unable to deliver Rivers State to the APC candidate.
The minister also recalled that Amaechi, who later became Minister of Transportation, again served as campaign Director-General in 2019 but failed to deliver Rivers State.
Wike further referred to former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who headed the presidential campaign of Atiku Abubakar in 2019 but lost Kwara State and his senatorial seat during the election.
He also cited former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who served as Director-General of Atiku’s campaign in 2023 but lost Sokoto State, as well as former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who served as Director-General of the APC presidential campaign but could not deliver Plateau State.
The FCT minister said the examples demonstrated the importance of concentrating on one’s political base instead of being carried away by campaign titles.
“What’s important is that you are able to deliver those two states. So it’s not about being DG. If you’re DG and you don’t win your state, what’s the essence of the DG?” Wike said.
“I don’t want to lose my state,” he added.
Wike maintained that politics was essentially local and that anyone aspiring to occupy a major political position must first prove his ability to win elections in his immediate political environment.
“If you cannot deliver the President in your state, how will you say you want an election? If you lose your own state, even if you’re DG, you’ll be ashamed,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor also made it clear that his support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 did not depend on his membership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Wike is not a member of the APC but was one of the prominent opposition figures who supported Tinubu’s emergence in the 2023 presidential election despite belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said he and his political allies did not need to become members of the APC before working for Tinubu in 2023 and would adopt a similar approach in the 2027 election.
According to him, the political arrangement would continue through the emerging “Rainbow Coalition”, which he said would bring together politicians and political groups from different parties in support of Tinubu.
Wike cited the example of Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central, who, according to him, could support Tinubu for the presidency while seeking re-election to the Senate under the PDP.
The minister argued that membership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council should therefore not be regarded as the only measure of support for Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid.
He said he would continue to concentrate on Rivers State and the FCT, where he claimed to have significant political influence and responsibility.
“There’s nothing like the APC Campaign Director in Rivers State election. I’m the one that’s in charge. I’m also the one that’s in charge of FCT,” Wike said.
He stressed that the ultimate objective was to secure victory for Tinubu rather than pursue a title within the campaign council.
His comments came shortly after Tinubu constituted the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections, appointing former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General.
The council was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Under the structure, Tinubu will serve as Chairman of the campaign council, while Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will serve as Vice Chairmen.
Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State and a prominent APC figure, will coordinate the campaign as Director-General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma will serve as Secretary.
The APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, was appointed Deputy Secretary, while Hadiza Bala-Usman will serve as Assistant Secretary.
The campaign council also includes several senior political figures as advisers to Tinubu, including former APC National Chairman Bisi Akande, former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba, former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni were appointed Deputy Directors-General for the southern and northern parts of the country.
President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria has significantly reduced its reliance on oil revenue as his administration pushes to diversify the economy and attract more investment into other sectors.
He said the government would continue to develop the petroleum industry but use its resources to support broader economic activity rather than depend on crude oil as the main driver of growth.
The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the fifth anniversary of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
“We have already reduced our dependence on oil revenue, and we intend to go further,” President Tinubu said.
He said the government’s diversification strategy was focused on agriculture, manufacturing, digital and creative industries, while the oil and gas sector would continue to provide energy, foreign exchange and revenue for the country.
The claim comes as the administration continues to pursue reforms aimed at increasing oil production, improving revenue remittances and attracting fresh investment into the petroleum sector.
In February, President Tinubu issued an executive order directing oil and gas revenues due to the Federation to be paid directly into the Federation Account.
The order also ended certain deductions previously retained by NNPC Limited, including a 30 per cent management fee on profit oil and profit gas.
Oil remains important to Nigeria’s finances
Despite the government’s push to reduce dependence on oil, petroleum remains an important source of public revenue and foreign exchange.
The sector has, however, faced challenges including fluctuations in crude production and oil prices, as well as security and operational problems.
PREMIUM TIMES reported in March that oil and gas revenue remittances had fallen significantly below projections in the first two months of 2026. While N937.10 billion was budgeted as oil and gas revenue for the period, actual remittances stood at N137.41 billion.
President Tinubu said improved security and cooperation among oil producers, host communities, security agencies and the NUPRC had helped stabilise production.
He said the government’s efforts had also helped attract investors who previously left Nigeria, adding that the country had ranked first among Africa’s leading destinations for upstream investment for two consecutive years.
Push for more oil and gas investment
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Oil, Heineken Lokpobiri, said Nigeria currently produces about 1.7 million barrels of crude oil per day and has more than 37 billion barrels of oil reserves.
Mr Lokpobiri said more investment, additional licensing rounds and increased exploration were needed to unlock the country’s petroleum resources.
The NUPRC has also reported increased investment activity in the upstream sector.
In August, the regulator said it had approved more than $57 billion in Field Development Plans since 2024, with 22 major offshore projects expected to come on stream between 2026 and 2030. The projects are estimated to attract between $30 billion and $50 billion in investment.
Nigeria’s oil and condensate reserves stood at 37.01 billion barrels as of January 2026, while gas reserves increased to 215.19 trillion cubic feet, according to NUPRC data.
Tinubu declares decade of gas
President Tinubu said gas would be central to the government’s energy strategy, describing the period ahead as a decade of gas.
“With the largest gas reserves in Africa, we will expand gas supply for power, industry and clean cooking, reduce flaring and methane emissions, and grow renewable energy alongside it,” he said.
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He added that the government would pursue an energy transition suited to Nigeria’s circumstances, arguing that the country should meet its climate commitments without compromising energy access and economic development.
He also noted that a stronger upstream industry could create jobs for Nigerian engineers, fabricators and oilfield service companies.
President Tinubu said the Petroleum Industry Act had provided a foundation for reforms in the sector but noted that legislation alone could not guarantee investment.
According to him, investors had raised concerns about high costs, lengthy contracting processes and uncertainty around fiscal terms for complex projects.
He urged the NUPRC to maintain clear regulatory processes, provide reliable timelines and work with other government agencies to reduce overlapping requirements.
The President also said operators benefiting from government incentives must meet their obligations on work programmes, local content, environmental protection and host communities.
He urged the commission to remain independent and accountable in its regulatory decisions.
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