The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sparked controversy after threatening to forcibly access the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, accusing the Rivers State Government of deliberately blocking his political allies from using the facility for a pro-Tinubu rally. Wike made the remarks on Friday during the inauguration of local government coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors held at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic.
The former Rivers governor claimed that an application to use the stadium was rejected and described the action as politically motivated. In a strongly worded address to supporters, Wike insisted that no one could deny Rivers people access to state-owned facilities, vowing that his group would proceed with future inaugurations “by force” if approvals were withheld.
Wike urged the state coordinator of the group to reapply for the stadium and assured supporters of logistical and financial backing for ward-level mobilization across the state. He called on party loyalists not to feel intimidated, promising vehicles and other support to drive the Renewed Hope Agenda at the grassroots.
In response, the Rivers State Government dismissed Wike’s claims as false and inflammatory. Speaking after an inspection of the stadium, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Honour Sirawoo, said the facility is undergoing major reconstruction and is unsafe for public use, stressing that no group has been granted access due to safety concerns, not politics.