Favour Ishember, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has urged residents not to repeat what he described as the political mistake of the 2023 general election, declaring that the January 16, 2027 poll offers an opportunity to make the right choice.
Wike said once people recognise a political error, they must correct it, insisting that President Bola Tinubu deserves overwhelming support in the next election.
The minister spoke on Saturday at the rainbow coalition stakeholders meeting and unveiling of FCT national assembly candidates organised by the FCT Stakeholders Assembly at the old parade ground in Abuja.
The event attracted traditional rulers, political leaders, area council chairmen, indigenous communities and residents, who endorsed Tinubu for a second term alongside Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda for the FCT Senate seat, Hon. Don Gabaya for Abuja North Federal Constituency, and former Bwari Area Council chairman, Danladi Chiya, for Abuja South Federal Constituency.
Earlier, Wike challenged politicians and supporters to stop taking credit for election victories they did not earn at the grassroots.
He insisted that every stakeholder must deliver votes from the polling unit, ward, local government, and state, stressing that losing one’s polling unit amounted to making no meaningful contribution to electoral success.
According to him, political victory begins from the grassroots and not with post-election celebrations or empty claims.
The minister thanked traditional rulers, political leaders, area council chairmen and residents for embracing the rainbow coalition, describing the endorsement as a major political development.
Wike appealed to residents to elect Aduda, whom he described as a son of the soil, a father and a dependable friend with a clear understanding of the challenges facing FCT residents.
He questioned the performance of the incumbent senator, asking whether the current representative had maintained regular contact with constituents, cared about their welfare or sponsored legislation capable of improving the FCT.
He said stakeholders had unanimously settled for Aduda as their preferred candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The minister attributed the widespread endorsement of Tinubu to the president’s achievements in infrastructure renewal and institutional reforms across the FCT, especially the upgrading of traditional institutions.
According to him, previous administrations neglected traditional institutions for 27 years until Tinubu approved their upgrade.
He disclosed that the president had also approved sports utility vehicles for traditional rulers, with the official presentation fixed for December 4.
Wike said effective leadership demands courage, firmness and the determination to do what is right regardless of criticism, adding that traditional institutions deserve greater support because of their contributions to peace, security, cultural preservation and community development.
He commended the six area council chairmen for putting politics aside to work with the FCT Administration, saying their cooperation had accelerated development in both the city centre and satellite communities.
The minister listed the establishment of the FCT Youth Development Secretariat, Women Affairs Secretariat and the Civil Service Commission among the landmark achievements recorded under the Tinubu administration.
He explained that the Civil Service Commission has opened a new career path for FCT civil servants, allowing them to rise to the positions of permanent secretary and head of service instead of retiring as directors.
Responding to requests from youth representatives, Wike apologised for delaying a meeting with them, explaining that his responsibilities in Rivers State and the FCT had made his schedule extremely busy.
He announced November 10 as the date for a meeting with youths from the six area councils.
The minister also disclosed that he secured President Tinubu’s approval for the provision of four buses to strengthen youth mobilisation across the territory.
He urged young people to mobilise women, traditional rulers and other grassroots stakeholders ahead of the election to ensure massive voter turnout.
Wike equally promised to hold a separate meeting with persons with disabilities, encouraging them to participate fully in the democratic process and assuring them that disability was not a barrier to political participation.
Explaining the rainbow coalition, the minister said it was created to unite members of different political parties behind Tinubu without forcing them to abandon their individual political platforms.
He praised the FCT chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for supporting the initiative, describing it as a platform for unity, cooperation and inclusive development.
He also assured non-indigenous residents that the FCT Administration would continue to run an inclusive government that accommodates both indigenous people and other nigerians living in the territory.
Earlier, the senior special assistant to the president on community engagement (North-Central), Abiodun Essien, applauded Wike for expanding road infrastructure across the FCT, saying the projects would serve as one of the strongest campaign achievements of the Tinubu administration in 2027.
Essien, who also coordinates infrastructure mobilisation and the secretariat of the presidential campaign council in the North-Central, disclosed that the federal government had completed 164 kilometres of roads across the region’s six states, while another 1,207 kilometres remained under construction nationwide.
He added that about 850,000 students in the North-Central were benefiting from the federal government’s student loan programme, while ongoing road projects reflected the administration’s commitment to national development.
Describing Abuja as a miniature Nigeria because of its ethnic diversity, Essien urged residents to unite behind President Tinubu, expressing confidence that the FCT would deliver overwhelming votes for the president in the january 16, 2027 election.
Also speaking, FCT APC Chairman, Hon. Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, commended Wike for promoting political cooperation across party lines, describing the rainbow coalition as a new political culture built on unity rather than hostility.
His PDP counterpart, Samaila Muhammad Dogara, also endorsed the coalition, saying Tinubu’s decision to appoint a minister from outside the traditional FCT political structure had strengthened the territory’s influence in the federal government.
The meeting ended with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political leaders, area council chairmen, youth and women groups, and representatives of different political parties, pledging to work together to secure victory for the coalition and its candidates in the 2027 general election.
