The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said supporters of President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State do not require the backing of a sitting governor to mobilise support for the President ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mr. Wike made the remark on Saturday in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the headquarters of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.

He commended the state coordinator of the group, Mr. Desmond Akawor, for what he described as impressive mobilisation efforts, noting that Rivers would actively support President Tinubu’s re-election.

“Let me sincerely thank the coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Rivers State, Desmond Akawor, who has shown enough capacity to mobilise our people, who have moved to all the nooks and crannies of Rivers to talk about Tinubu for President in 2027,” he said.

“I have said before that Rivers State is a no-go area, and I want to repeat that this place is totally for Tinubu.

“Mr. Coordinator, you have mobilised and ensured that the 23 local governments and zonal coordinators were inaugurated. That day, Nigerians all over the world watched and saw that Rivers State is a no-go area.

“Today, you have also invited us to commission some vehicles that the secretariat headquarters will use, and to commission the secretariat itself. This is the first of its kind in any part of the country.

“I challenge anybody — let them come to Rivers State and learn. Our commitment is not by mouth, and not by newspaper; our commitment is by showing that, indeed, we are working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We don’t need to have a governor to mobilise for Mr. President; we don’t need it. We have all it takes to be on our own. There is no governor among us here. We have senators, assembly members, council chairmen, National Assembly members, and party chairmen of both the APC and PDP.

“We have mobilised ourselves to make a commitment. If you say you are supporting somebody, there is no need for the person to bring his resources; you have to make a commitment, and this is what our leaders have done.”

The minister also criticised some governors, senators, and political actors whom he accused of betraying Rivers State, warning that they too could face betrayal from their successors.