Wike Praises Gov Okpebholo, Says Edo’s Performance Has Already Secured Tinubu’s Re-election Foundation

The political alliance between Abuja and Benin City has reached a new fever pitch. On Monday, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike declared that the “State of Harmony” returning to Edo under Governor Monday Okpebholo is the ultimate “foundation stone” for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Speaking on the sidelines of a strategic meeting, Wike pointed to Okpebholo’s recent mobilization efforts as a masterclass in early political positioning. Just weeks after the Edo Governor inaugurated a massive “Renewed Hope” support group and vowed to deliver a staggering 2.5 million votes for the President, Wike noted that the Governor’s focus on tangible projects is doing more for the APC’s image than any billboard could.

“What Okpebholo is doing in Edo is creating a ripple effect across the South-South,” Wike remarked. “He isn’t just playing politics; he is delivering the dividends of the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda at the grassroots. When a Governor says he will resign if the President loses his state, that is not just loyalty that is a man who has laid a foundation so solid he is willing to bet his career on it.”

The FCT Minister, known for his own “project-first” philosophy, commended the Edo Governor for refusing to be distracted by the “noises” of the opposition. Analysts suggest that the Wike-Okpebholo synergy is a clear warning to the PDP and other rivals that the South-South, once an opposition fortress, is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of the Tinubu administration’s 2027 strategy.

As Okpebholo continues his aggressive infrastructure drive in Edo, the “Wike endorsement” serves as a powerful signal of his rising profile within the national APC hierarchy. For the people of Edo, the message from the power corridors of Abuja is clear: the foundation for the next election isn’t being built on promises, but on the “concrete results” currently rising across the heartbeat of the nation.