FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has revealed how late PDP chieftain Dan Orbih resisted alleged political inducements to support his 2015 Rivers governorship ambition, crediting him with playing a crucial role in his emergence as governor.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has credited the late Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Daniel Orbih, with playing a crucial role in his emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2015.
Wike made the disclosure on Wednesday during a night of tributes held in Abuja in honour of Orbih, the former PDP National Vice-Chairman for the South-South, who died on August 31, 2026, at the age of 64.
The FCT minister recalled the political challenges surrounding his governorship ambition between 2013 and 2014, saying Orbih remained loyal despite pressure and alleged inducements from political opponents seeking to persuade him to withdraw his support.
“Today I am a Minister of the FCT; yesterday I was a governor. Who did God use for me to become governor? It was Dan,” Wike said.
According to Wike, the then Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, sent emissaries to Orbih with offers intended to make him abandon his support for Wike’s ambition. Orbih, however, allegedly rejected the offers.
“There was nothing in this world that was not done to induce him. My governor then sent people to Dan, offered him everything in this world, but Dan stood firm and said, ‘No, I will not accept, I will not agree,’” Wike said.
Wike disclosed that Orbih provided practical assistance to his 2015 governorship campaign, including the donation of two bulletproof Mercedes-Benz buses to enhance security.
He also credited the late politician with mobilising political structures and support across the South-South region during the period leading to the election.
The minister described Orbih as a dependable political ally whose commitment extended beyond electoral support.
Wike said that throughout his eight years as governor of Rivers State, Orbih never approached him to demand government contracts or personal favours.
“Dan is not a typical Nigerian politician. Throughout my eight years as governor, he never came for one day—either by phone or coming to my house to say, ‘I need this contract.’ Never,” he said.
He added that Orbih’s loyalty, commitment to friendship and willingness to stand by allies during difficult periods distinguished him from many political associates.
“The only way I can identify a politician that is reliable is when that politician has stood in times of crisis. Loyalty, commitment to friendship, and being a brother’s keeper run in Dan’s family,” Wike said.
The FCT minister said Orbih contributed significantly to political developments across the South-South and helped several politicians attain positions at the national and state levels.
He also highlighted Orbih’s role in promoting political cooperation across party lines in Edo State, noting that the late politician supported several political figures without necessarily seeking personal benefits.
Wike called on stakeholders in Edo State to honour Orbih with a state burial in recognition of his contributions to the state’s political development.
He also pledged to maintain a close relationship with the deceased’s family and work with them to preserve his legacy.
Senator Magnus Abe, Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, also paid tribute to Orbih, describing him as the person who introduced him to politics.
Abe recalled serving as director-general of Orbih’s first governorship campaign under the United Nigeria Congress Party, saying he travelled across Edo State with him during the campaign.
“Dan was indeed a bridge builder par excellence. We are gathered here today not because Dan is dead. We are gathered because of the life that he lived and that life impacted all of us in so many different ways,” Abe said.
He said Orbih’s influence extended beyond party affiliations and left a lasting impression on politicians and other people whose lives he touched.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District and a former governor of Edo State, said Orbih’s opposition and political criticism helped improve his performance in office.
Oshiomhole explained that he often considered how Orbih would interpret his decisions before implementing them, adding that the scrutiny encouraged him to prepare more carefully.
“So my happiness today is that Dan and I, whatever our political differences we might have had, the truth is, Dan made me a better governor,” Oshiomhole said.
He also thanked Wike for helping to reconcile him with Orbih after a prolonged political disagreement.
According to Oshiomhole, the reconciliation began at Wike’s residence in Port Harcourt, where the two former political adversaries started rebuilding their relationship.
Addressing Orbih’s family, Oshiomhole said the deceased had built bridges of unity and progress while remaining committed to his family and community.
Senator Sandy Onor, the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, described Orbih as a public intellectual, a defender of Edo heritage and a Nigerian patriot.
Onor also praised the late politician’s commitment to his family and his contributions to public life.
The tributes highlighted Orbih’s influence across party lines, with political figures from different backgrounds acknowledging his role in shaping political relationships and careers in Edo State and the wider South-South region.
Orbih, who hailed from Etsako in Edo State, served as the PDP’s National Vice-Chairman for the South-South and was a prominent figure in the party’s activities in the region.
His death on August 31, 2026, at the age of 64, prompted tributes from political associates and leaders who remembered him for his loyalty, political influence and relationship-building efforts.
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