Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has declared that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 remains sacrosanct, stressing that he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
Wike also dismissed claims that his proposed “Rainbow Coalition” is an extension of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it instead as a platform for members of different political parties who believe in President Tinubu’s performance and are willing to support his bid for a second term.
The minister disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka and made available to The News Chronicle.
Wike said he would not assist politicians in winning elections in their respective states, urging those facing political challenges to resolve them locally rather than using Tinubu’s re-election bid to “whip up sentiments.”
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“Politics is local, and those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of using the re-election of the President to whip up sentiments,” he said.
The FCT minister recalled that he and other members of the G5 governors did not hold any meeting with the APC before backing Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, his position for 2027 remains straightforward: his support is for Tinubu at the presidential level.
Wike further argued that political calculations should be based on genuine grassroots mobilisation and the ability to win elections from the polling units, rather than relying on political arrangements or past electoral standings.
“It is no longer about coming from fourth position to become governor. It is about genuinely mobilising support and winning elections from the polling units,” he said.
He cited the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states as evidence that voters could support different political parties at different levels during the same election.
“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, when APC had less than 15 per cent in the presidential election? Was it Rainbow Coalition? Were the voters confused?” Wike asked.
He posed a similar question about the APC’s victories in National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu, where Tinubu recorded significantly lower presidential votes.
“Was it Rainbow Coalition that also made APC win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu States where the President did not have 10 per cent of the votes?” he asked.
Wike maintained that voters who supported different parties in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections could do the same in 2027, provided political actors genuinely mobilise support for Tinubu.
He urged political stakeholders to prioritise the presidential election before turning their attention to state-level contests.
“After the President must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states,” he said.
Wike stressed that his commitment was specifically to mobilising support for Tinubu and did not extend to preventing the PDP or other parties from contesting other positions.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections,” he said.
“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 added.
