The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has openly threatened to break into the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt if the Rivers State Government continues to deny his political group access to the facility.
Speaking on Friday, January 30, 2026, during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, a group mobilizing support for President Bola Tinubu, Wike claimed that the state government had rejected their application to use the stadium for the event. He warned that “heaven will not fall” if his supporters choose to forcefully occupy the venue for their next rally, insisting that public facilities belong to all citizens of the state and cannot be monopolized by any single administration.
The Rivers State Government has swiftly dismissed Wike’s allegations as “false and misleading,” stating that the stadium is currently a work zone undergoing extensive reconstruction to meet FIFA and World Athletics standards. The Commissioner for Sports and Attorney-General, Christopher Green, clarified on Saturday that his office received no formal application for the stadium’s use and noted that heavy human traffic could damage sensitive underground installations currently being laid.
Government officials further argued that their lack of political bias was proven by the fact that the group was allowed to hold its Friday inauguration at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, which is also a state-owned property.
This latest standoff underscores the deepening rift between Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as both factions move to consolidate influence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike has instructed the state coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors to write another application for a ward-level inauguration, reiterating his stance that “enough is enough” regarding the perceived obstruction of his coalition’s activities. As the political temperature in Port Harcourt rises, observers have noted that this confrontation mirrors events in 2023, though the roles of the state executive and the dissenting faction have since reversed.
