Wike inaugurates Tinubu campaign council in Rivers, targets 3m votes

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)/Rainbow Coalition Presidential Campaign Council, charging its over 700 members to work towards securing 3 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

Wike, who coordinates the Tinubu Campaign Council and leads the Rainbow Coalition, gave the charge during the inauguration in Port Harcourt, urging members to abandon conventional rallies and take the campaign directly to communities, markets, family meetings and age-grade gatherings.

“We are going to depart from that ceremonial campaign style of converging in one place and saying we are holding a rally. Rather, we are going to go out to communities, to family meetings, to age-grade meetings, and to the markets to talk to them vigorously. Tell them why Tinubu should be re-elected,” he said.

To achieve the target, the former Rivers governor tasked each council member with securing at least five new voters daily. He also announced that local government campaign councils would be inaugurated within one week, while assuring supporters omitted from the central council that they would be accommodated in the subcommittees.

Defending the Rainbow Coalition, which brings together members of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), Wike said the alliance would strengthen Tinubu’s chances by pooling support across party lines. He urged members to highlight the achievements of the Tinubu administration in Rivers State and avoid distractions from opposition criticism.

In his remarks, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara pledged his support for the coalition, describing the new campaign council as bigger and better organised than the structure that secured Tinubu’s victory in 2023. He noted that former political opponents had put aside their differences to work towards a common goal.

“Nothing is impossible. The only thing that is not possible is to revive the dead. If we take this as a serious task that must be achieved, we will come out decisively with a stronger vote than what we did in 2023,” Fubara said. He also warned members against pretending to support the campaign while undermining it behind closed doors.

Earlier, the Director of Administration of the campaign council, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, said the campaign team was prepared to reach all 6,866 polling units across Rivers State. He added that the state’s elders had already committed to delivering 3 million votes for Tinubu.