I Will Coordinate Tinubu’s Re-election Campaign in FCT, Rivers — Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will coordinate President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in the FCT and Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general election.

Wike made the declaration on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Abuja, where he outlined a mobilisation strategy involving members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said the coalition had agreed to support Tinubu’s re-election bid, alongside APC candidates contesting Senate and House of Representatives seats in the FCT.

Wike described himself as the coordinator of the president’s campaign in the two locations, adding that political affiliations would not prevent stakeholders from working towards their shared presidential objective.

The meeting brought together APC and PDP chairmen, serving and former senators, National Assembly candidates and political leaders from the FCT’s six area councils. During the gathering, PDP candidates for the National Assembly declared their support for APC candidates.

The minister urged participants to set aside party differences for the purpose of the election, saying the coalition was expected to work together regardless of the political platforms its members might belong to in the coming months.

Wike cited the 2024 Edo State governorship election as an example of how cooperation between political groups could influence an election. He claimed that collaboration involving elements of the APC and PDP had helped prevent the incumbent governor from installing a successor.

He, however, clarified that the coalition’s arrangement was primarily centred on the presidential election, leaving participating parties to decide their positions on other contests.

To justify his support for Tinubu’s re-election, Wike challenged political leaders to identify any of the FCT’s six area councils that had not benefited from the administration’s infrastructure projects and institutional reforms.

He pointed to the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, the appointment of a Head of the Civil Service from within the territory’s workforce, and the creation of the Women Affairs and Youth Development Secretariats as examples of changes under the current administration.

According to Wike, these measures had opened up opportunities for career advancement among FCT civil servants and widened participation in governance.

He also listed road construction and rehabilitation, school renovations, police stations and other public facilities among projects being undertaken across the territory. The minister expressed confidence that these developments would feature prominently in efforts to mobilise residents ahead of the 2027 election.

Wike also defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, acknowledging that some policies had caused temporary hardship but arguing that difficult decisions were needed to address longstanding economic problems.

He maintained that economic transformation could not happen immediately and that the benefits of the reforms might take time to become apparent.

The FCT minister further backed the proposed establishment of state police, describing it as an important step towards addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.