The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned that he may forcefully gain access to the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, accusing the Rivers State Government of denying the Renewed Hope Ambassadors permission to use the facility for a rally.
Wike, who previously served as governor of the oil-rich state, made the statement on Friday during the inauguration of coordinators of the group across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
“We applied to the Rivers State Government for the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us. But let me say, next time we will do this, if you don’t approve it, we will break it by force,” Wike said at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“So the coordinator of the state [Renewed Hope Ambassadors], write again to the state government. Choose a day, and we will inaugurate the ward level. I want to say to everybody to hear: enough is enough. We are all from Rivers State.
“Nobody can deny us the facilities of the state. If you don’t agree to give us, we will do the needful, and we take it by force. Heaven will never fall. Even when heaven falls, everywhere will be at peace.”
The former governor urged members of the group not to be discouraged, despite what he described as intimidation from the Rivers State Government.
“We must go and make sure this is inaugurated ward by ward, unit by unit, and we will take a date to make sure we inaugurate them. I have told the leadership of the party, the way they have done for local government, so we will do for the wards. We will provide vehicles for each of the wards.
“So nobody should be intimidated. We are here to support you. The members of various councils have agreed to make more commitments to make sure each ward gets a bus, to make sure the campaign for the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ is being realized,” the minister told a large gathering of supporters.
However, the Rivers State Government rejected the claim, insisting that the allegation was unfounded.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Honour Sirawoo, addressed journalists on Friday evening after inspecting the stadium.
Sirawoo described the accusation as false and misleading, stating that the Yakubu Gowon Stadium is currently under reconstruction and therefore unsafe for public activities.
He explained that due to the extent of ongoing rehabilitation work at the facility, no organization or group has been granted access for use at this time.
What you should know
The disagreement reflects ongoing political tension in Rivers State following shifting alliances after the 2023 elections.
Nyesom Wike, now a key figure in the federal government, remains influential in state politics, particularly through support groups backing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Public facilities such as the Yakubu Gowon Stadium are often flashpoints in political disputes, as they symbolize state authority and grassroots mobilization power.
The Rivers State Government’s claim of ongoing reconstruction highlights the administrative dimension of the dispute, while Wike’s remarks underscore the deep political rivalry shaping events in the state.
