The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that no leader remains in power indefinitely, stressing that leadership is temporary and that everyone will have their turn to serve.
Wike made the remarks during a thank-you visit to Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he addressed party leaders, traditional rulers, women, and youths from the council.
The former Rivers State governor has been touring the state’s 23 local government areas to appreciate residents for their support during the 2023 general elections and to mobilise backing for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 polls.
Reflecting on leadership and power, Wike cautioned against the illusion of permanence, noting that authority is never everlasting.
“We should know that today I am a leader; tomorrow it will be your turn too. No one man can be a leader forever,” he said.
“It is not possible. God has never allowed that. So, everyone is saying Wike is our leader. As it is today, yes, but it can never be forever.”
Speaking further on succession, the minister urged leaders to accept that others would eventually take over from them.
“Man comes, man goes. When I said ‘man comes, man goes,’ people feared; as they are here now, they are afraid,” Wike said.
“What I mean by ‘man comes, man goes’ is that everybody has their own turn. When your time has come, you do whatever you can to the satisfaction of the people and according to the will of God.”
He added that recognising the temporary nature of leadership would promote mutual respect and tolerance among political actors, stressing that a good leader must be willing to listen.
“A bad leader is one who is advised but remains reluctant to change. But a good leader is one who listens to his people,” he stated.
Wike also claimed that Rivers State is unique in its ability to bring leaders of the two major political parties together to work as a team, a strategy he said contributed to the emergence of President Tinubu.
His comments come amid heightened political tension in the state, as the Rivers State House of Assembly continues impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara over alleged failure to present the 2026 budget and claims of financial mismanagement.
Most members of the Assembly are considered loyal to Wike, who has repeatedly criticised Governor Fubara for allegedly abandoning a peace agreement reached before President Tinubu lifted the emergency rule earlier imposed on the state.