Chinwe Odita
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says his only business in the 2027 general elections is to ensure President Bola Tinubu is re-elected.
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Tinubu’s second-term bid but dismissed reports that he promised the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would not field candidates for governorship and legislative elections.
The minister said he would not be responsible for delivering victories for politicians in 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 re-election of the President to whip up sentiments,” Wike said.
He also clarified that the rainbow coalition is not an extension of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“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,” he said.
Wike recalled that he and other members of the G5 supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election without any prior agreement with the APC, noting that the same principle would apply in 2027.
He stressed that supporting Tinubu’s presidential ambition does not translate to deciding which party wins governorship or legislative seats.
The FCT minister urged politicians to build their strength at the grassroots instead of banking on presidential support to win state elections.
He cited the 2023 polls in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi, where voters made different choices at presidential and legislative levels.
Wike noted that the APC won two senatorial seats in Imo despite polling less than 15 per cent of the presidential vote in the state, and also won National Assembly seats in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu where it secured less than 10 per cent of presidential votes in some cases.
According to him, that pattern proves presidential and state elections can produce different outcomes.
He urged members of the emerging coalition to first secure Tinubu’s re-election before focusing on state contests.
“After the President must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states,” he said.
“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,” Wike added.
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