By Emmanuel Fateman and Sharon Akuboh
The electric atmosphere inside the 40,000-capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium on Saturday left no doubt: the battle lines for the next political dispensation have been drawn, and Rivers State is standing squarely in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s corner.
In a powerful display of political reconciliation and strategic alignment, President Tinubu addressed a mammoth crowd in Port Harcourt, celebrating a dramatic truce between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, while firing sharp broadsides at main opposition figures.
A Truce Written in Front-Row Politics
The highlight of the rally—organized by Wike’s cross-party Rainbow Coalition—was the visible reunion between Governor Fubara and his political mentor, Wike.
Commending Governor Fubara for choosing peace over protracted warfare, President Tinubu lauded the governor’s maturity in respecting the intervention of political elders.
“During the political crisis caused by a misunderstanding in the family, I intervened on your behalf,” President Tinubu told the roaring stadium. “I thank Governor Fubara, in particular, for his maturity, understanding, and respect for the wisdom of elders. Fubara, you will not regret what you have done as long as all of us are alive.”
Pledging his loyalty, Governor Fubara erased any doubt about his commitment to the coalition. He formally acknowledged Wike’s leadership and promised to rally both APC and PDP stakeholders under the Rainbow Coalition banner to deliver a massive voting bloc.
“Under the guidance and leadership of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, we will deliver not less than three million votes for you,” Fubara declared to thunderous applause. “A good gesture deserves reciprocity. As you have stood by us, we will stand by you.”
Economic Defense & Opposition Fire
Moving past local politics, President Tinubu tackled national concerns, using the stage to defend his administration’s economic reforms and lay out early outlines of his manifesto ahead of the 2027 campaign cycle.
Addressing widespread concerns about economic hardship, Tinubu framed his policies as a necessary cleanup of decades of structural neglect, particularly pointing to unpaid backlogs of pensions and state-level liabilities.
“The people who governed before us left unpaid pensions and gratuities running into billions and trillions of Naira,” the President stated. “We are clearing that backlog so that every family is included and we can share in the prosperity.”
Tinubu took direct aim at his main 2023 presidential rival, Atiku Abubakar, questioning his moral standing: “When those people talk about hunger, remember that I am cleaning up the mess they created. Atiku was one of them. Ask him how he built a private university while in office as Vice President in charge of our economy… A man without moral integrity, latitude, and ethics has no business holding public office.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima reinforced the administration’s economic narrative, highlighting that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had climbed from roughly $3.9 billion to nearly $60 billion in three years. Shettima dismissed opposition economic critiques with sharp rhetorical jabs, describing Atiku Abubakar’s economic proposals as “intellectually malnourished” and casting ADC’s Peter Obi as battling “political irrelevance and mediocrity.”
Wike: “Tinubu Has Delivered for Rivers”
Welcoming the delegation, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike insisted that the packed stadium reflected genuine, local organic support.
“This is Rivers State’s rally. We did not mobilise anybody from any other state,” Wike told the crowd. “Since the inception of democracy in 1999, Rivers people have never had it this way. We have no less than 47 political appointments from Mr President. So, who is our brother? Our brother is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Wike highlighted key federal interventions, including the Bonny–Bodo Road and the Federal University of Environment in Ogoniland, while taking a swipe at former governor Rotimi Amaechi over uncompleted projects during his tenure.
High-Powered Political Support
The Port Harcourt rally served as a grand finale to President Tinubu’s South-South tour, following his project commissioning engagements with Governor Umo Eno in neighbouring Akwa Ibom State.
The event drew an array of political heavyweights, including:
- First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu & Hajia Nana Shettima
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio & Speaker Tajudeen Abbas
- APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda & Campaign DG Senator Abdulaziz Yari
- Chief of Staff Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila
- Prominent Figures: Senators Magnus Abe, Adams Oshiomhole, and Ifeanyi Okowa.
With Governor Fubara and FCT Minister Wike presenting a united front, the Port Harcourt rally marks a critical consolidation of power for the ruling administration in the South-South heartland.