FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, insisting that the political mistakes of the 2023 general elections must not be repeated.
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Wike made the call on Thursday during an interactive session organised by the Rainbow Coalition involving members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
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At the meeting, the minister endorsed former Senator Philip Aduda and other candidates under the coalition’s political arrangement, urging residents to prioritise development over party affiliations.
He cautioned residents against politicians he described as political gamblers and argued that ongoing infrastructure projects across the FCT demonstrated the Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving the territory.
Wike said the Rainbow Coalition was established to bring politicians from different parties together to pursue common interests and address the needs of residents.
He urged voters to assess their representatives based on their accessibility and willingness to respond to the concerns of their communities rather than their political affiliations.
The minister also questioned the performance of the senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, asking residents whether they had felt her impact and whether she had engaged traditional rulers, women and young people to understand their challenges.
Presenting Aduda to the gathering, Wike described the former senator as someone familiar with the needs of FCT residents and called on participants to support him.
He also attributed ongoing infrastructure development in the territory to Tinubu’s approval and support for major projects, saying the President’s backing had enabled the FCT administration to address longstanding infrastructure needs.
Wike announced that the Gombe-Kubwa road project would be ready for use by December, expressing confidence that residents would be able to use the road during the Christmas period.
The minister further disclosed that political negotiations had resulted in Julius Adamu, the PDP chairmanship candidate in the last Area Council election, stepping down in favour of Joshua, the Bwari Area Council chairman.
He described the decision as an example of putting collective interests above personal ambition and said he would recommend Adamu for a position at the FCT Universal Basic Education Commission.
A women’s leader in Bwari Area Council, Deborah Ayorinde, commended Wike’s involvement in the area’s political affairs but appealed to him to sustain his support for the council.
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She described Bwari as an area council that had experienced prolonged marginalisation and expressed hope that the minister’s interventions would improve conditions for residents.
Ayorinde also praised Wike for supporting Joshua’s emergence as chairman and appealed for continued assistance to ensure a peaceful electoral process in the council. She expressed confidence that residents would support Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The FCT APC Chairman, Tanko Yamawo, also commended Wike for encouraging cooperation between politicians from rival parties.
Yamawo recalled that political divisions had previously prevented some APC and PDP members from openly associating with one another, but said the Rainbow Coalition had created an avenue for greater cooperation.
He expressed confidence that residents of Bwari would support APC candidates in the 2027 elections, adding that the coalition could benefit politicians across the territory.
Similarly, the FCT PDP Chairman, Ismaila Dogara, declared that the Rainbow Coalition was established to remain and said party members had embraced the arrangement to work together in support of Tinubu.
Dogara urged Wike to convey the expectations of FCT residents to the President, describing the period as an opportunity for the territory to reciprocate the administration’s interventions.
Traditional rulers at the meeting also commended the minister for ongoing road and water projects but appealed for more infrastructure development in their communities.
The Sarkin Bwari, Alhaji Awwal Musa Ijakoro II, praised projects around Tokulo, Ushafa and the Bwari-Zuba axis. However, he called for the rehabilitation of the road linking the Army Checkpoint to central Bwari.
The Esu of Bwari, Dr Ibrahim Yaro, also commended the infrastructure work and appealed for improvements to roads connecting Karu, Mpape and neighbouring communities.
In his welcome address, Bwari Area Council Chairman Joshua thanked Wike for his political support, saying residents had responded positively to the minister’s earlier call for them to support his candidacy.
He added that ongoing projects across the FCT had strengthened public confidence in the administration and pledged continued cooperation with the minister.
The meeting formed part of the Rainbow Coalition’s mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with APC and PDP stakeholders pledging to work together in support of Tinubu and candidates endorsed under the coalition’s arrangement.
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