Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, while insisting that his position will not prevent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from fielding candidates in other electoral contests.
Wike said he had never promised that the PDP would stay away from governorship, National Assembly or State House of Assembly elections because of his support for Tinubu.
The minister made the clarification in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
Wike also explained that the “rainbow coalition” backing Tinubu’s second-term ambition had no connection with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the coalition brings together politicians from different parties who are satisfied with Tinubu’s performance and are willing to mobilise support for his re-election.
Wike recalled that he did not meet with the APC before he and other members of the G5 Governors supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, stressing that his position ahead of 2027 remains specifically about the President.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections,” he said.
The FCT minister also rejected attempts to link his support for Tinubu with political contests in individual states, saying politicians should take responsibility for resolving challenges within their respective states.
“I won’t be the one to help people to win elections in their States. Politics is local and those having problems in their States should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments,” Wike said.
He argued that voting patterns during the 2023 elections demonstrated that Nigerians could support candidates from different political parties for different positions.
Wike cited Imo State, where he said the APC secured two senatorial seats despite receiving less than 15 per cent of the presidential vote.
“In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?” he asked.
He also pointed to APC’s performance in National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states, despite Tinubu recording less than 10 per cent of the presidential votes in some of the states.
“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu States where the President did not have ten percent of the votes?” he queried.
Wike maintained that voters could back Tinubu in the presidential election while choosing candidates from other parties in legislative and state elections.
“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the president genuinely this time?” he asked.
The minister urged political stakeholders supporting Tinubu to concentrate first on securing his re-election before focusing on their respective state contests.
“After the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our States,” he said.
Wike also stressed the importance of grassroots mobilisation, arguing that electoral victory should be built from polling units rather than relying on political manoeuvring.
According to him, “politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor,” but about genuinely mobilising voters and winning elections from the grassroots.
He reiterated that the rainbow coalition was not an APC initiative but a cross-party platform created to mobilise support for Tinubu.
“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” Wike said.
Source: FCT Minister’s Media Office
