{"id":124919,"date":"2026-01-11T20:38:27","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T19:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=124919"},"modified":"2026-01-11T20:38:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T19:38:27","slug":"politics-is-about-interest-votes-not-emotions-wike-tells-critics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/exclusive\/politics-is-about-interest-votes-not-emotions-wike-tells-critics\/","title":{"rendered":"Politics is About Interest, Votes Not Emotions, Wike Tells Critics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Tracy Moses<\/div>\n
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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Politics is About Interest, Votes Not Emotions, Wike Tells Critics,\u00a0 Nyesom Wike, has dismissed criticism over his political choices, insisting that politics is driven by interests, power and the mandate of the people\u2014not personal emotions.<\/div>\n
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Wike made the remarks on Sunday at the grand finale of his statewide \u201cthank you\u201d tour in Obio\/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, where thousands of supporters turned out to welcome him.<\/div>\n
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Addressing the crowd, the former Rivers State governor said he had never hidden his ambition to pursue a career in politics, stressing that his choice of profession should not be a source of resentment to anyone.<\/div>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be angry because I chose to be a politician,\u201d Wike said. \u201cI never said I wanted to be a journalist or a pastor. I made it clear that politics was my path, and that is what I am doing.\u201d<\/div>\n
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He explained that his return to Obio\/Akpor was to appreciate the people for their consistent support over the years, noting that gratitude remains a core value of responsible leadership.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhen people stand by you, you must recognise them. Appreciation is important. That is why I returned to say thank you,\u201d he stated.<\/div>\n
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Wike also pushed back against accusations branding him a traitor or impostor, saying such labels were the product of misunderstanding and political bitterness.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI have never described myself as a traitor. If that were my intention, I know exactly where to position myself. Politics demands clarity of purpose, not emotional reactions,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n
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According to him, politics is fundamentally about protecting collective interests rather than acting on sentiments.<\/div>\n
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\u201cPolitics is not about emotions; it is about interest, the interest of your people. Power does not come automatically, and it is not meant for everyone,\u201d Wike added.<\/div>\n
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He cautioned against downplaying electoral strength, stressing that votes remain the true source of political authority.<\/div>\n
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\u201cOur real power lies in the vote. Five thousand votes represent strength. Controlling 40 per cent means influence. We will deploy our strength where it counts. That is the reality of politics,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n
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Wike further reminded Nigerians that governance is impossible without popular backing, emphasising that the electorate ultimately determines who wields power.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThere is no authority greater than the will of the people. You may insult us today, but never forget that power comes from the ballot,\u201d he warned.<\/div>\n
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Earlier, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, described Wike as a grassroots politician whose influence remains firmly rooted in Obio\/Akpor.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is your home. People have been waiting here since morning just to receive you. In truth, we are the ones who should be thanking you,\u201d Chinda said.<\/div>\n
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He revealed that Obio\/Akpor accounts for 684,812 votes out of Rivers State\u2019s more than 3.5 million registered voters, describing Wike\u2019s political standing in the state as unassailable.<\/div>\n
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\u201cNobody can intimidate you in Rivers State. Your position here is secure,\u201d he added.<\/div>\n
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Chinda also recalled Wike\u2019s directive to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 elections, noting that the decision has yielded positive results.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBy 2027, we will surpass what we achieved in 2023,\u201d he assured.<\/div>\n
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Also speaking, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Amaewhule, pledged the Assembly\u2019s continued loyalty to Wike and assured President Tinubu of overwhelming support in the next general election.<\/div>\n
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\u201cPlease tell Mr President to rest easy. Rivers people, particularly Obio\/Akpor, will deliver even stronger results in 2027,\u201d Amaewhule said.<\/div>\n
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The colourful rally, attended by party leaders, lawmakers and supporters from across the state, marked the conclusion of Wike\u2019s appreciation tour and underscored his continued dominance of Rivers State\u2019s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Tracy Moses The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Politics is About Interest, Votes Not Emotions, Wike Tells Critics,\u00a0 Nyesom Wike, has dismissed criticism over his political choices, insisting…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119609,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\nPolitics is About Interest, Votes Not Emotions, Wike Tells Critics - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/exclusive\/politics-is-about-interest-votes-not-emotions-wike-tells-critics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Politics is About Interest, Votes Not Emotions, Wike Tells Critics - 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