Wike Moves ‘Rivers War Team’ to Abuja to Secure APC Victory in Council Polls

With only 48 hours to the February 21 Area Council elections, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has reportedly activated his “Rivers State machinery” in the nation’s capital, deploying a handpicked team of battle-hardened loyalists to oversee the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign.

The move, described by insiders as a “total offensive,” involves the relocation of several former Rivers State commissioners and top-tier strategists to Abuja. Their mission is clear: dismantle the influence of the Labour Party’s “Obidient” movement and ensure a clean sweep for the APC across the six Area Councils.

The ‘War Room’ Strategy

Investigations as of Thursday, February 19, 2026, show that Wike has integrated his most trusted “General Staff” into strategic roles within the FCT. Among the key figures spotted at high-level strategy meetings are:

• Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN: The former Rivers Justice Commissioner is now acting as Lead Legal Consultant, reportedly coordinating a “defense wall” to handle post-election petitions and managing sensitive liaisons with INEC.
• Barr. Isaac Kamalu: The former Finance Commissioner, now a Senior Special Advisor to the Minister, is tasked with “logistical harmonization”—effectively managing the massive funding and machinery required for the Saturday polls.
• Dr. Alabo George-Kelly: Though currently serving as the Executive Secretary of the BCDA, the former Works Commissioner remains a core strategist, focusing on voter mobilization in the rural wards of AMAC and Kuje.

The Great PDP Retreat

The deployment of Wike’s “Rivers machinery” appears to be yielding immediate results on the political front. In a major shock to the opposition, two prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidates have officially withdrawn from the race to endorse their APC rivals.

In the Bwari Area Council, PDP candidate Julius Adamu stepped down for the APC’s Joshua Ishaku Musa, famously declaring that “brothers don’t fight” and chanting a hybrid “PDAPC” slogan. [1] A similar withdrawal was recorded in AMAC, where PDP candidate Zadna Dantani also threw his weight behind the APC following “consultations” with the Minister.

Minister Wike has remained unapologetic about his role in these cross-party realignments. “I have a duty to support any candidate that supports President Tinubu,” Wike stated. “If you are not supporting the President, you will not win.”

“Political Engineering”—Nigerians Blast Wike’s Tactics

The influx of “Rivers-style” politics into the FCT has triggered a wave of biting criticism from residents and opposition candidates who view the move as a direct threat to free and fair elections.

• “Exporting the Crisis”: Critics on social media have blasted the Minister for bringing “aggressive organizational force” to a local council poll. “This is not administration; it is a legislative and political coup,” one Abuja resident noted. “They are bringing experts in ‘state-level tactics’ to override the will of the FCT voters.”
• “The Death of Democracy”: Candidates from the ADC and Labour Party have raised alarms, suggesting that Wike’s team is in Abuja for “political engineering” rather than governance. “When the FCT Minister is the one negotiating the withdrawal of opposition candidates, the election is already compromised before the first vote is cast,” an ADC official remarked.
• Voter Apathy Concerns: Analysts warn that these high-level “handshakes” are demoralizing the electorate. “People feel the results are being written in the Minister’s office,” a popular commentator on X (formerly Twitter) noted. “It turns a democratic exercise into a coronation.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the FCT remains under high security alert. With the “Rivers maquinaria” now fully operational in Abuja, the Saturday polls are being viewed as a critical test of Wike’s ability to deliver the capital to President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. (247Ureporters)