Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he does not need a position in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council to support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke on Saturday after inspecting ongoing projects in the FCT.
He said membership of a presidential campaign council does not guarantee electoral victory, arguing that political relevance is determined by a politician’s ability to deliver their state, local government and ward.
The ruling APC had earlier unveiled its presidential campaign council, appointing Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara West, as director-general and Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, as secretary.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Wike dismissed suggestions that political actors who are not members of the campaign council cannot contribute to Tinubu’s re-election effort.
He said the Rainbow Coalition, which he established in Rivers State to support Tinubu’s second-term bid, was already implementing its strategy.
“I am not a member of the APC, so I cannot be in the presidential campaign council. We had our own strategies on how the presidency would emerge,” he said.
Wike added: “In the rainbow coalition, we don’t need to be members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. We are doing our own work.
“What is important is: are you able to deliver those two states? Who will be in charge of the Rivers State campaign? Me. Who will be in charge of FCT? Me.”
The minister cited previous presidential campaigns to argue that serving as director-general of a campaign council does not necessarily translate into victory in a politician’s home state.
“Rotimi Amaechi served as DG for Muhammadu Buhari’s campaigns in 2015 and 2019 but failed to secure Rivers,” Wike said.
He also cited Bukola Saraki, who led Atiku Abubakar’s campaign council in 2019 but lost Kwara and his senatorial seat; Aminu Tambuwal, who served as Atiku’s campaign DG in 2023 but lost Sokoto; and Simon Lalong, who headed the APC presidential campaign council in 2023 but failed to deliver Plateau State.
“If you are DG and you don’t win your state, what is the essence of the DG? If you lose your own state, even if you are DG, you will be ashamed,” he said.
Wike maintained that political alliances can operate outside formal party structures, saying his Rainbow Coalition is already working in states including Bayelsa, Benue and Kwara to support the presidency.
