Wike Woos Bonny Voters For Tinubu, Says Road Proves President’s Performance

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on the people of Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State to support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, saying the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road is a clear demonstration of the administration’s capacity to deliver projects abandoned by successive governments.

Wike made the appeal on Saturday when he visited the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, in Port Harcourt.

The visit preceded an interactive engagement with residents of Bonny Local Government Area, where the minister is expected to campaign for support for Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Wike said the Bonny-Bodo Road had transformed access to the oil-rich island community, ending years in which residents and visitors were forced to rely mainly on boats and helicopters.

He described the road as a project that had been repeatedly promised by successive administrations but remained uncompleted until the Tinubu government.

“The advantage is that we can now go by road to Bonny. Administrations have come, and this road has become a political road. It is not today. So many governments have said, ‘We will try,’ but thank God, under the administration of the present president, this road has been completed,” he said.

The former Rivers State governor said the project would enhance movement, stimulate commerce and improve economic opportunities for residents of the kingdom.

Wike, who coordinates political support for Tinubu in Rivers State and the FCT, urged voters to assess political parties and candidates based on what they had achieved rather than what they promised during campaigns.

He said the 2027 election offered Nigerians an opportunity to examine the performance of the Tinubu administration and decide whether to renew its mandate.

The minister also defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, describing it as a bold decision that previous administrations had repeatedly acknowledged as necessary but failed to implement.

“Each time a president comes, fuel subsidy is a scam. What have you done with it? Nobody has been able to make a courageous decision,” Wike said.

While acknowledging the hardship created by higher petrol prices and the rising cost of living, he argued that subsidy removal had significantly increased the revenue available to the three tiers of government.

Wike claimed that states now receive at least N15 billion monthly from federal allocations, in addition to other revenue, and challenged governors to convert the increased resources into tangible development.

He said the financial resources available to states when he became Rivers State governor in 2015 were far below current levels.

According to him, the increased revenue has created greater opportunities for governments to invest in infrastructure, education and other public services.

Wike also claimed that public universities had not experienced strikes in the three years preceding his remarks, attributing the development to improved funding.

He argued that reforms should be assessed based on their long-term impact rather than the immediate difficulties they create.

The minister also criticised the handling of public funds under the previous Rivers State administration, alleging that resources earmarked for major projects were not properly accounted for.

He cited the proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, the monorail project and the sale of a power-related asset.

Wike alleged that $39 million was paid for the proposed hospital without the project progressing to the foundation stage.

He also claimed that $308 million realised from the sale of a power plant in December 2014 had dwindled to $308,000 by the time he assumed office in May 2015.

He argued that the funds could have been used to develop infrastructure across the state’s 23 local government areas.

The allegations were made by Wike at the event and were not independently verified from the information available for this report. The affected individuals and companies were not represented in the supplied account.

Wike said the examples demonstrated why voters must scrutinise the records of politicians, particularly their management of public resources and delivery of development projects.

He also called for greater consultation between government and communities before projects are selected, saying development priorities vary from one locality to another.

The minister urged traditional rulers, youths and community leaders to articulate their needs and present them to government for consideration.

He said effective development required consultation, proper prioritisation and cooperation between communities and government.

Earlier, the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, commended Wike for his longstanding relationship with the kingdom.

The monarch recalled the minister’s role in efforts to establish the Bonny Polytechnic while he served as a minister, as well as his interventions on security and the Bonny-Bodo Road.

“The minister has been of immense support to us, ranging from where we tried to establish the Bonny Polytechnic. He played a major role towards having this polytechnic started at the time he was minister,” the monarch said.

The traditional ruler described Bonny Kingdom as a strategic part of Nigeria’s economic and national development, while commending Wike for prioritising infrastructure and project delivery.