Manny Ita
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has threatened to forcefully access public facilities in Rivers State if his supporters are denied future use of state-owned venues. Speaking on Friday at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Agenda coordinators, Wike accused the state government of blocking his group’s request to use the Yakubu Gowon Stadium for a pro-Tinubu rally. “We applied to the state government for the use of the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us,” Wike stated. “Let me say this clearly: next time they do this, if you don’t approve it, we will break in by force. Enough is enough. We are all from Rivers State. Nobody can deny us the use of state facilities. If you refuse to grant approval, we will do the needful, and we will take it by force. Heaven will not fall.”
The Rivers State Government has dismissed the Minister’s claims as “false and misleading,” asserting that the stadium was not denied for political reasons but is currently closed for safety due to ongoing reconstruction. In a statement issued Friday, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Honour Sirawoo, clarified that the facility is a high-risk construction site undergoing upgrades to meet international standards. “The Yakubu Gowon Stadium is currently undergoing reconstruction and is unsafe for public use,” Sirawoo said, adding that the site contains sensitive installations and heavy equipment. The Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, also noted that his office had not received a formal application for the stadium’s use and pointed out that the alternative venue used for the event—the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic—is also a state-owned facility.
The standoff highlights the deepening rift between Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as both factions move to solidify political structures ahead of future elections. Wike insisted that political mobilization in the state would continue regardless of administrative pushback, directing his coordinators to apply for venues for upcoming ward-level inaugurations. “I want everybody to hear this clearly,” he added. “If you don’t agree to give us, we will do the needful. I will take it by force. Even if heaven falls, everywhere will still be at peace.” The state government, however, maintained that it remains committed to providing alternative venues for public events, emphasizing that “Rivers State is too important for needless political drama.”
