01/09/2026
Apart from President Tinubu, it is hard to believe, but I don't think there is any politician more powerful than the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in Nigeria right now.
Why do I say this?
It is still a mystery to many of us how one man sitting in Abuja can control the political affairs of a state like Rivers and continue to have his way.
Wike insisted that the current Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, would not return for a second term, and he made it possible, even after the governor joined the APC, the ruling party. With the high number of APC governors in the country, many expected the party to protect one of its own, but that did not happen.
Even more interesting is the fact that Wike is still a member of the PDP, yet he appears to call the shots on what happens politically in APC-controlled Rivers State. The APC National Assembly and State Assembly candidates for the 2027 general election are also widely seen as being backed by his political structure.
Think about it: How can one man, who is not even a member of the ruling party, wield this much influence over the ruling party's political structure in an entire state?
I am not writing this to praise Wike or endorse some of the unlawful and irregular actions he has been accused of. I am simply stating what appears to be the political reality and the enormous influence he currently commands.
Whether you like him or hate him, one thing is difficult to deny: Wike has built a formidable political structure for himself in Rivers State. Taking Rivers away from his political camp in 2027 will be a serious battle.
But there is one lesson history teaches us about political power:
No political emperor lasts forever.
Political structures rise. Political structures fall. Those who appear untouchable today can become yesterday's political giants tomorrow.
For now, however, Wike remains one of the most powerful political forces in Nigeria. 🇳🇬
