Nyesom Wike has endorsed Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, a former Rivers State commissioner for works, as his preferred candidate for governor of Rivers State. George is expected to run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
The endorsement followed a closed-door meeting in Port Harcourt on Monday with key political stakeholders, including ex-militant leaders Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom. Those present said the gathering reviewed the political situation in Rivers State and the steps needed to consolidate influence before the 2027 general elections.
Wike has not publicly confirmed the endorsement, but the move marks a clear signal about where his political machinery appears to be heading. George previously served as commissioner for works in the state, giving him a profile inside the political circle Wike has long shaped.
The decision comes amid a prolonged crisis in Rivers State driven by the power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Wike, his estranged political godfather. Since taking office, Fubara has steadily moved away from Wike’s influence, a split that has divided the state’s political structure, including the House of Assembly and local government leadership.
President Bola Tinubu has tried to bridge the gap between the two camps, but those efforts have so far produced only limited results. Against that backdrop, the source said, Wike’s backing of George is a strategic move to reassert control and shape the political future of Rivers State ahead of 2027. For now, the question is not whether the contest is real. It is whether Wike’s latest move can translate that influence into a winning structure before the next election cycle tightens around him.
