2027: Wike Backs Tinubu, Says PDP Can Field Candidates

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while clarifying that he never agreed that the Peoples Democratic Party would withdraw from other contests in the 2027 elections.

Wike said his commitment was specifically to mobilising support for Tinubu’s presidential bid and did not extend to preventing the PDP from presenting candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

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 was not an arrangement involving the All Progressives Congress. He described it as a platform bringing together politicians and supporters from different political parties who believe Tinubu deserves another term based on his performance.

He said he would not assist individuals seeking to win elections in their respective states, arguing that politicians facing challenges at the state level should address them locally instead of using Tinubu’s re-election campaign to create political tensions.

According to Wike, he did not hold any meeting with the APC before he and other members of the G5 supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election. He said his position for 2027 remained the same, with his support directed at the President.

The FCT minister argued that political contests should be decided through genuine mobilisation and support at the polling units rather than relying on political arrangements at the national level.

He cited the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states as examples of situations where voters supported different political parties in presidential and National Assembly elections held on the same day.

Wike pointed to Imo State, where the APC won two senatorial seats despite receiving less than 15 per cent of the presidential votes in the state. He also cited APC victories in National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu, despite the party recording a much lower presidential vote in those states.

He said the results showed that voters could distinguish between presidential and other elections and could make different choices on the same ballot day.

Wike therefore urged political stakeholders to prioritise the presidential election and work towards Tinubu’s re-election before turning their attention to contests in their respective states.

He said his commitment was to mobilising support for Tinubu and not to preventing the PDP or any other political party from participating in other elections.

The minister maintained that the Rainbow Coalition should not be regarded as an APC structure, but as an avenue for supporters across political parties to work for Tinubu’s re-election.

He said his support for the President was based on his assessment of Tinubu’s performance and his belief that the administration deserved another term.