Innocent Ajaelu, the Coordinator of the Rivers State chapter of “Relax, Tinubu is Fixing Nigeria” support group, has said the South-South does not need a vice-presidential slot at this time, but for President Bola Tinubu to complete the region’s eight years as guaranteed by the North-South rotation.

Ajaelu made the group’s position known in Port Harcourt while briefing journalists on preparations for President Tinubu’s visit to Rivers State on Saturday, November 7, 2026 for the South-South presidential campaign rally.

He said the President’s visit would provide an opportunity to speak directly to the people of the South-South about his plans for the region and the country.

“What is coming to Rivers State is a South-South rally. They chose Rivers State because of the stability in the state. Mr President is coming to talk to the people and tell them what he has in mind for the South-South people,” Ajaelu said.

He added: “I am not part of that school of thought that at this point in time we in the South-South need a vice-president. No. What we need is for Mr President to complete the four years so that we have our own eight years.”

The support group coordinator urged Rivers residents to come out in large numbers on Saturday to welcome the President and to vote for him in 2027 for continuity.

“I want to appeal to Rivers people to first come out in their numbers on Saturday to welcome this man who has given Rivers State a lift in his administration. Secondly, I want them to vote for Tinubu for continuity come 2027,” he said.

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Ajaelu cited the establishment of a university of environment in Ogoni land, the Bonny-Bodo road project and the appointment of Rivers indigenes into federal positions as evidence of Tinubu’s commitment to the state.

He said the Tinubu administration had appointed more Rivers indigenes into various levels of government than previous administrations, adding that the removal of fuel subsidy was a difficult but necessary reform.

“There is no genuine development that does not pass through a process. The common man knows that Mr President is passing through a process that may inconvenience them, but they also understand what the future holds,” he said.

Ajaelu dismissed suggestions that the President had neglected Rivers State because he had not visited the state physically since assumption of office in May 2023, adding that his appointees had regularly represented the administration in the state.

“Mr President has not physically come to Rivers State, but you see his appointees every day in Rivers State. His not coming physically does not mean he has neglected us,” he said.

He said the name of the support group, “Relax, Tinubu is Fixing Nigeria,” should be understood as a message of patience and confidence in the President’s reform agenda.

“He didn’t say he has fixed Nigeria. He said, relax, I am fixing Nigeria. It might not be within these first years, but he wants to set a programme that whoever succeeds him after 2031 will have a good place to start from,” Ajaelu said.

He said he had charged coordinators and members of support groups to mobilise their members for the rally and to demonstrate support for the President ahead of the 2027 election.

“I have given them the charge that they should all come out en masse on Saturday to support Mr President, at least to tell him thank you for what he has done and to reassure him that Rivers people are fully behind him,” he said.