The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has responded to claims that some political leaders made him the Governor of Rivers State.

Wike dismissed the speculations and stated that although he received political support from some leaders, he fought his way to power.

Speaking during a civic reception held in honour of some Rivers State politicians loyal to him on Friday, December 3, 2025, in Port Harcourt, Wike compared his rise to politics to that of his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, whom he claimed he made the Governor of Rivers State.

His comment comes after an old video showed former First Lady Patience Jonathan presenting Wike to former Governor Peter Odili and some political leaders in Rivers State as the preferred successor to then-Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

The videos resurfaced amid a verbal exchange between Wike and Odili, arising from the political crisis in the state that has placed the FCT Minister at loggerheads with Fubara.

Odili’s support for Governor Fubara seemed to have infuriated Wike, who believes the former governor should have refrained from taking sides and instead played the role of a father figure by addressing the political crisis in the state.

Wike said, “You didn’t give me the governorship of Rivers State in 2014, I fought for the party structure. I took it from Magnus Abe, yes, I did.

“So you can’t say you made me Governor. Nobody, I don’t want to make comments about certain people, I won’t do that.

“You Magnus, all of you, Victor Giadom, I fought you people, took the party structure.

“So, nobody can say I brought Wike, I dashed you. Nobody can say that. But it would be unfair to me, to Almighty God, for me to say nobody supported me.

“No, you can’t say that. You need people’s support, but not to say you gave me.”