The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stirred controversy with a declaration that he will use his authority to “punish people” who oppose him, escalating tensions in Rivers State’s fractious political landscape.
Wike made the remarks on Sunday during a “thank-you tour” of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State, where he sought to rally support among grassroots political constituencies.
Addressing supporters, the former governor emphasised the nature of political power, asserting that it is not granted as a gift but is fought for. In an unusual comparison, Wike referenced the United States, claiming that former US President Donald Trump acted on the strength of his power when engaging with Venezuela’s leader. “Power is not dashed, you struggle for it,” Wike said. “If Donald Trump didn’t have power, he would not go to Venezuela to pick up the President.”
He then appeared to shift from metaphor to threat. “Can a local government area that produced 5,000 votes challenge a local government that produces 40 per cent of the votes? We will use our strength to punish people,” he declared, in a statement that is likely to deepen anxieties about political violence and influence.
The comments come amid a renewed and bitter feud between Wike and his successor as governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Relations between the pair, once political allies within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have deteriorated sharply since Fubara assumed office in 2023. In recent days, the Rivers State House of Assembly, dominated by lawmakers aligned with Wike, has opened fresh impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy — the third such attempt since 2023.
Critics have lambasted Wike’s rhetoric as dangerous and destabilising. Campaign for Democracy has urged President Bola Tinubu to rein in the minister, warning that such incendiary language threatens democratic norms and stability in the region. Ethnic and youth organisations have also appealed for calm, stressing that escalating hostilities could undermine earlier peace accords brokered at the national level.
The political crisis has drawn wider attention, with some in the All Progressives Congress (APC) warning against interference in Rivers’ politics by external players, and others calling for respect for constitutional processes. Amid these disputes, ordinary residents of Rivers State continue to watch closely, concerned about the implications for governance and public order.
