Okay News reports that Nyesom Wike, Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has said he will back only candidates who support President Bola Tinubu’s agenda in the territory’s local council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Wike, a senior Nigerian politician and former governor of Rivers State in southern Nigeria, spoke in Abuja, Nigeria, late on Saturday, February 14, 2026 (West African Time, WAT, GMT+1) during the 60th birthday celebration of Senator Sandy Onor, a Nigerian lawmaker and academic from Cross River State in southern Nigeria.
The minister said his decision was not tied to party lines, adding that his support would go to any contender he believes is aligned with Tinubu’s plans for Nigeria. “We have the FCT Area Council election coming up on February 21, and I have a duty to support any candidate that supports President Tinubu to win. It is also my duty to ensure that any candidate who is not supporting Tinubu does not win in the election, and I owe no apology on my stand,” Wike said.
The Federal Capital Territory is home to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and its area councils function as the main layer of local administration for communities across the territory. The vote is expected to shape who leads those councils and how local public services are managed over the next term.
During the birthday event, Wike described Onor as a “credible ally, a trustworthy friend, and good brother.” He also spoke about their relationship, saying: “I will continue to be with you and work with you, because I know even if I am not alive today, you will not abandon my family.”
A citation read at the event by Professor Anthony Eyang said Onor was born on Monday, February 14, 1966, in Ikom, a town in Cross River State, and was raised with strong community values, discipline, and faith. Eyang said Onor’s career, which moved from the University of Calabar in southern Nigeria to Nigeria’s Senate and into Cross River politics, “reflects a life devoted to learning, leadership, and the advancement of society.”
Other speakers also paid tribute. Senator Philip Aduda, a Nigerian lawmaker who chaired the planning committee, said the gathering was a thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness in Onor’s life in both academia and politics. Samuel Ortom, former governor of Benue State in central Nigeria, represented Doctor Okezie Ikpeazu, former governor of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria and an ambassador-designate, and described Onor as an “icon,” a great Nigerian, and a man he said was prepared for leadership.
Chief Kalu Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, also praised the celebrant and said: “I love Sen. Sandy Onor because he is not one of those who stigmatise the constitution as a product of the military,” he said.
At the event, Professor Dave Imbua of the University of Calabar presented a Festschrift, a book of scholarly essays produced in honour of Onor, describing him as a notable historian among academics. The Festschrift was unveiled on behalf of Wike and his friends, with a reported contribution of ₦50 million in Nigeria’s naira currency (about $36,900), using a mid-market rate of roughly ₦1,355 per $1.
In his remarks, Onor said he had come to see in his 60th year that excellence, character, and hard work matter, while also stressing faith. He said “everything becomes insignificant if the finger of God is absent in one’s life.” Onor thanked his family, friends, and well-wishers for their support and said their encouragement would not be taken for granted.
With the Federal Capital Territory area council election days away, Wike’s comments are likely to influence the political conversations around candidate alliances and voter expectations across Abuja and surrounding communities.
