Nyesom Wike, Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has said he will support only candidates who align with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda in the Federal Capital Territory’s area council election set for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Wike spoke in Abuja, Nigeria, late on Saturday, February 14, 2026 (West African Time, WAT, GMT+1), during a public ceremony marking the 60th birthday of Senator Sandy Onor, a Nigerian senator and academic from Cross River State in southern Nigeria.
According to Wike, party labels will not determine his choices. He said his backing would go to any candidate he believes supports Tinubu’s vision for governance. “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,” he said.
The Federal Capital Territory contains Abuja, the capital of Africa’s most populous country, and the territory’s area councils are responsible for many local government functions in communities across the capital region. The election will determine who leads those councils and how local administration is handled in the coming term.
Wike also used the event to praise the celebrant, describing Onor as a “credible ally, a trustworthy friend, and good brother.” He said Onor had been dependable even during difficult moments and added: “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 by Professor Anthony Eyang said Onor was born on Monday, February 14, 1966, in Ikom, Cross River State, and grew up with strong community values, discipline, and faith. Eyang said Onor’s path from the University of Calabar in southern Nigeria to Nigeria’s Senate, and then into Cross River politics, showed a life focused on learning, leadership, and public service.
Senator Philip Aduda, who chaired the planning committee, said the gathering was organised as a thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness in Onor’s life as an academic and politician. 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 leader he considered fit for greater responsibility.
Chief Kalu Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, described Onor as courageous and intelligent 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.
Professor Dave Imbua of the University of Calabar also presented a Festschrift, a book compiled by scholars in honour of Onor, saying the celebrant has remained a notable historian among academics. The book was unveiled on behalf of Wike and his friends, with a reported ₦50 million contribution.
Onor, in his remarks, said he had learned in his 60th year that excellence, character, and hard work are essential, while also emphasising faith in God. He said “everything becomes insignificant if the finger of God is absent in one’s life.” He thanked his family, friends, and well-wishers and said their support and encouragement would not be taken for granted.