By his own mouth, the political journey of Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, GSSRS, appears to have produced quite an impressive catalogue of “mistakes.”
There are politicians who make mistakes once, learn from them and move on. Then there are those whose political history seems to provide enough material for an entire comedy series.
Enter Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Over the years, Wike has openly reflected on several of his political decisions, particularly his involvement in the internal affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Those decisions have now become the foundation of a popular political joke: if supporting one political heavyweight after another eventually turns out to be a mistake, then perhaps Wike deserves the honorary title of “The Mistake Maker of the Century.”
The list is remarkable.
1. “I made a mistake in 2016 by supporting Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as PDP National Chairman.”
Wike was deeply involved in the PDP leadership crisis surrounding Ali Modu Sheriff in 2016. At the time, however, Wike defended Sheriff’s emergence, saying he had no personal interest in supporting him and that he was considered the best option at the time.
2. “I made another mistake in 2017 by supporting Prince Uche Secondus as PDP National Chairman.”
Secondus eventually became PDP National Chairman, but the relationship between him and Wike later deteriorated dramatically. Wike would subsequently become one of the strongest voices against Secondus during the party’s internal crisis.
3. “I made yet another mistake by supporting Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for the PDP presidential ticket in 2019.”
Wike and Tambuwal were once political allies, but the 2019 PDP presidential primary became another chapter in the long and complicated story of Nigerian opposition politics.
The irony became even more pronounced in the years that followed, as Wike himself became a major contender for the PDP presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 election and eventually found himself in a bitter dispute with the party leadership and its presidential candidate.
4. “In 2021, I made another mistake by supporting Senator Iyorchia Ayu as PDP National Chairman.”
Again, political circumstances changed. The relationship between Wike and Ayu later became central to the crisis that engulfed the PDP ahead of the 2023 general election.
5. “And most recently, in 2023, I made a mistake by supporting Sir Siminalayi Fubara as my successor.”
This may arguably be the most dramatic “mistake” on the list.
Wike backed Siminalayi Fubara to succeed him as Rivers State governor. But the relationship between the former governor and his successor later deteriorated into one of the most consequential political battles in Rivers State, involving the executive, the state House of Assembly and competing political camps.
And then comes the sixth “mistake.”
6. The next mistake: Tinubu in 2027?
This one is no longer merely speculation.
Wike has repeatedly declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. In September 2026, he said he would resign as FCT Minister if Tinubu lost both the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State, effectively tying his political performance to the President’s electoral fortunes in those territories.
Wike has also described his support for Tinubu as part of a broader political coalition, while maintaining that supporting the President does not necessarily mean becoming an APC member or abandoning other political arrangements. That position has itself generated controversy, with APC figures urging him to make his political allegiance clearer.
So, if history is any guide, Nigerians may reasonably ask:
What happens if this one also becomes another “mistake”?
Of course, politics is not mathematics. Supporting a candidate or political leader cannot automatically be classified as a mistake simply because the relationship later collapses or circumstances change. Political alliances evolve, interests shift, and yesterday’s ally can become today’s opponent.
But political satire has never been particularly interested in such technicalities.
And that is precisely why the joke has endured.
From Sheriff to Secondus, Tambuwal to Ayu, Fubara and now Tinubu, the political record offers enough twists and reversals to keep commentators busy for years.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you:
THE MISTAKE MAKER OF THE CENTURY.
Whether 2027 becomes another “mistake” or the one decision that finally proves different is a story Nigerians will ultimately decide at the ballot box.
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