The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said his support ahead of the 2027 general elections is solely for President Bola Tinubu and not the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Mr Wike also said he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would not field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections in 2027.
The minister stated this while reacting to comments by some APC governors who said they were not in alignment with the “Rainbow Coalition” being championed by Wike.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, Mr Wike said the Rainbow Coalition had nothing to do with the APC.
He described the coalition as a platform for members of different political parties who were satisfied with Tinubu’s performance and willing to support his re-election.
According to him, he would not be responsible for helping politicians win elections in their respective states, urging those facing political challenges to resolve them locally rather than using Tinubu’s re-election to whip up sentiments.
“Politics is local, and those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of using the re-election of the President to whip up sentiments,” he said.
Mr Wike recalled that he and other members of the G5 governors did not meet with the APC before supporting Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
He said the same principle would apply in 2027, stressing that his support was for Tinubu rather than the APC.
“In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two Senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President, when APC had less than 15 per cent in the presidential election? Was it Rainbow Coalition? Were the voters confused?” he asked.
“Was it Rainbow Coalition that also made APC win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states where the President did not have 10 per cent of the votes?
“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027, provided we all support the President genuinely this time.”
The minister urged political stakeholders to prioritise the presidential election before focusing on contests in their respective states.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
“Most importantly, Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.
Mr Wike added: “After the President must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states.”
