The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has thrown his weight behind a former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the state’s governorship in the 2027 general elections.
George is expected to run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move seen as a significant step in the evolving political landscape of Rivers State.
Sources told DAILY POST that the endorsement followed a closed-door meeting convened by Wike in Port Harcourt on Monday. The gathering, which included key political stakeholders, reportedly focused on assessing the state’s political climate and mapping out strategies to consolidate influence ahead of the next election cycle.
Among those present were notable ex-militant leaders such as Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom, a development a source said highlighted the depth of consultations leading up to the decision.
George, regarded as a loyalist within Wike’s political camp, previously served as Commissioner for Works and is considered a prominent figure in the state’s political structure.
A source who attended the meeting said the move forms part of a broader plan to sustain Wike’s political dominance in Rivers State despite his current position at the federal level.
The endorsement comes amid a prolonged political crisis in the state, fueled by a fierce power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political ally, Wike. Since taking office, Fubara has steadily distanced himself from Wike’s influence, creating deep fractures across the state’s political institutions, including the State House of Assembly and local government leadership.
The rift has sparked a wave of political confrontations and shifting alliances, with both camps vying for control of party structures and governance.
Attempts by President Bola Tinubu to reconcile the opposing sides have so far made little progress, with tensions continuing to linger.
According to the source, “Wike’s endorsement of George is a strategic move to reassert control and shape the political future of Rivers State ahead of 2027,” he said.
As of press time, there has been no official confirmation of the endorsement.