TINUBU JOKES ABOUT WIKE’S DEFECTION AS RUMOURS SWIRL AROUND HIS POLITICAL FUTURE

President Bola Tinubu has once again fanned the flames of speculation surrounding the political future of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. Speaking during the commissioning of Arterial Road N16 and other infrastructure projects in Abuja’s Katampe District on Tuesday, Tinubu made a light-hearted remark suggesting that Wike would be welcome in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) whenever he chooses to join officially.
The president, referencing Wike’s iconic campaign chant, said: “But the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will enjoy singing ‘as e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us.’” The crowd, including Wike himself, erupted in laughter—underscoring the camaraderie and unspoken political alignment between the two men.
Wike, a PDP chieftain and former governor of Rivers State, has been at the center of intense political debate since he threw his weight behind Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election—against the official candidate of his own party, Atiku Abubakar. After Tinubu’s victory, Wike accepted a high-profile appointment as FCT Minister in the APC-led administration in August 2023, deepening divisions within the opposition PDP.
While he has not formally defected, Wike has publicly pledged loyalty to Tinubu’s leadership and recently vowed to lead his re-election campaign in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 polls. “I am a key asset. I will lead President Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Rivers State,” he declared in a media chat on June 3.
With increasing signs of political convergence and his visible role in APC-led governance, observers believe it is only a matter of time before Wike makes a formal move. Until then, his position continues to raise questions about party discipline, cross-party collaboration, and the evolving nature of political loyalty in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.