Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike bent on making good his threat to frustrate Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s second term bid, has deployed two of his core loyalists to pick the All Progressives Congress (APC) ,governorship nomination forms.
The two loyalists are the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, who is representing the Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency.
Formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the FCT minister it was learnt, orchestrated the late defection of Rep. Chinda from the PDP to the APC in a plot to make way for the minister’s son, Jordan Wike to replace Chinda in the House of Representatives.
Key Highlights
- Nyesom Wike is accused of backing loyalists to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Rivers State ahead of 2027.
- Two of his alleged allies, including Rep. Kingsley Chinda, have reportedly picked up APC governorship nomination forms.
- Another ally, Alabo George-Kelly, also entered the APC race after previously serving in Wike and Gov. Fubara’s administrations.
- The moves are seen as part of a wider political strategy involving incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara and internal power struggles in Rivers politics.
- Analysts say Wike’s influence across party lines could shape the APC primaries and determine the eventual governorship candidate.
Rep. Chinda was formerly a legal adviser to Wike during the minister’s tenure as the chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council.
He was later appointed Commissioner for Environment by Rotimi Amaechi during his time as governor and from there he rose to become a House of Representatives member.
Read Also:
- Northern Christian leaders rebuke Wike over ‘God’ remark on Jabi Lake controversy
- Tinubu’s 3rd Anniversary: Wike tasks Abuja contractors on deadlines, warns against delays
- Wike dismisses appeal by woman over land revocation
The Ikwerre born law graduate is seen as Wike’s joker to return power to the Ikwerre ethnic bloc, which has dominated governorship position in the state for more than 16 unbroken years-through (Omehia-Amaechi- Wike) combined service.
Alabo George-Kelly, Executive Secretary, Border Communities Development Agency, (BCDA) has also picked the APC governorship nomination forms.
Formerly Commissioner for Works under Wike and later under Gov. Fubara, George -Kelly was the arrowhead of the grand civic reception held in March 2025 at Abalama, Kalabariland for the FCT minister which caused much stir in the state .
The reception was held under the auspices of the New Associates, which was interpreted as Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (NEW) Associates
He is of the Ijaw stock and seen as a candidate to placate Ijaws should they raise eyebrows if Gov. Fubara is displaced.
George -Kelly contested the governorship primary in 2022, alongside Gov. Fubara and came third as the incumbent governor emerged as Wike’s prefered candidate.
Analysts say Gov. Fubara has been hemmed in in the APC by Wike’s men, wondering how the governor would navigate the primary and emerge victorious, since as the saying goes, “a cockroach can never be innocent in the gathering of fowls.”
Wike, who is effectively in charge of the PDP and APC in the state through his contraption, the Rainbow Coalition observers say, would not leave any stone unturned to mobilize his loyalists in the APC to ensure that Gov. Fubara loses the nomination to become the governorship candidate of the APC.
For now, all three have been screened by the screening committee of APC awaiting the results to know who will proceed to the primary election proper..
What is however clear is that Wike has the structure from which those who will vote at the primary would be drawn. Is it nunc dimitis for Gov. Fubara?
