By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
PORT HARCOURT — The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has endorsed a former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the state’s governorship.
Mr George is expected to contest the seat under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that signals a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources told Stonix News that Mr Wike settled on Mr George following a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.
The gathering, which reportedly included former militant leaders Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom, reviewed the state’s political landscape and strategies for consolidating influence ahead of the next election cycle.
A source who witnessed the meeting said the endorsement was part of broader efforts to maintain Mr Wike’s political dominance in Rivers State, despite his current role at the federal level.
The development comes against the backdrop of a protracted political crisis in Rivers, driven by a bitter power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Mr Wike. Since assuming office, Governor Fubara has gradually distanced himself from Mr Wike’s influence, leading to deep divisions within the State House of Assembly and local government leadership.
Efforts by President Bola Tinubu to broker peace between the two camps have so far yielded limited results, with tensions continuing to simmer.
“Wike’s endorsement of George is a strategic move to reassert control and shape the political future of Rivers State ahead of 2027,” the source said.
As of press time, there had been no official confirmation of the endorsement from Mr Wike’s office or from Mr George.
Mr George, a seasoned political figure and loyalist within Mr Wike’s network, previously served as Commissioner for Works.
His emergence is widely seen as a direct challenge to Governor Fubara’s hold on the state’s political machinery.
What's your reaction?
