By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election, saying his backing for the President remains firm.
Wike, however, clarifies that his support for Tinubu does not mean the Peoples Democratic Party will not field candidates for the governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections in 2027.
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 dismisses claims that the “rainbow coalition” is affiliated with the All Progressives Congress, describing it instead as a platform bringing together members of different political parties who support Tinubu’s re-election based on their assessment of his performance.
He says, “Politics is local,” urging politicians facing challenges in their respective states to resolve them rather than using the President’s re-election bid to stir sentiments.
Wike recalls that he and other members of the G5 supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election without holding any prior meeting with the APC, stressing that his support in 2027 is specifically for the President.
According to him, the focus should be on genuine mobilisation and winning elections from the polling units rather than relying solely on political calculations.
The FCT Minister cites the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi, where voters backed different political parties in the presidential and National Assembly elections, as evidence that electorates can make separate choices across different contests.
Wike urges political stakeholders to prioritise Tinubu’s re-election, saying, “After the President has been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states.”
He maintains that he never promised that the PDP would not field candidates in other elections, reiterating that the rainbow coalition is simply a platform for mobilising support across political parties for Tinubu’s second-term bid.
