The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, exchanged pleasantries with some of his critics following a meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, his aide, Lere Olayinka, has said.
Olayinka, the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, disclosed this on Wednesday while sharing a video showing Wike interacting with members of the group after the meeting.
According to him, some of those who approached Wike had previously criticised, abused and engaged in confrontations with the former Rivers State governor.
He said the minister nevertheless welcomed them warmly and shook hands with them after the meeting, describing the gesture as evidence of Wike’s political confidence.
Posting the video on X, Olayinka said the interaction demonstrated why Wike had continued to emerge victorious in political contests.
He wrote, “This is the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, shaking hands with those who had fought, abused and insulted him after the Rainbow Coalition meeting in Port Harcourt yesterday.”
The development came amid renewed political discussions within the Rainbow Coalition, with some opposition figures questioning the strength and prospects of the alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
An ADC chieftain in Rivers State, Leloonu Nwibubasa, had described the coalition as losing momentum, arguing that supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara might not wholly support the arrangement.
He also criticised the ongoing reconciliation meetings involving Wike, Fubara and their allies as an over-dramatised process.
