The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, proclaimed himself the field commander of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the FCT, vowing to lead the president’s campaign in the territory as well as in Rivers State in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
Wike announced this at a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where he presented a cross-party mobilization plan that brings together members of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in a bid to secure Tinubu’s re-election.
At the meeting, PDP National Assembly candidates in the FCT also voiced their support for their APC rivals, with Wike stating that the coalition had resolved to join forces for Tinubu’s re-election and for the victory of APC candidates in the National Assembly elections.
“For the Presidency, all of us have agreed that it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I will coordinate the FCT and Rivers State. So you can imagine how important it is.
“I am in charge of the FCT election. I am the commander of field operations as far as the FCT election is concerned,” the minister said.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from the APC and the PDP, among them party chairmen, current and past senators, National Assembly candidates, and political leaders drawn from the FCT’s six area councils.
Wike explained that the gathering was meant to build a united political front in the run-up to the elections, no matter which parties those in attendance belonged to.
“I want to let all of you know that we are going to work together. Nobody should say, ‘I am PDP’ or ‘I am APC.’ For the purpose of this election, we are together,” he said.
The former governor of Rivers State pointed to the 2024 Edo State governorship election as an illustration of how political alliances can shape electoral results.
He asserted that collaboration between members of the APC and the PDP had aided in stopping the sitting governor from installing a successor, contending that political disagreements could be put aside when stakeholders pursued a shared goal.
Wike, however, made clear that the coalition’s arrangement was mainly centered on the presidential election, allowing the participating parties to decide their own stances on other races.
While making the case for Tinubu’s re-election, the minister urged political leaders to name any of the FCT’s six area councils that had not gained from infrastructure projects and institutional reforms under the current administration.
As proof of the administration’s accomplishments, he pointed to the creation of the FCT Civil Service Commission, the appointment of a Head of the Civil Service from within the territory’s own workforce, and the establishment of the Women Affairs and Youth Development secretariats.
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Wike stated that these reforms had opened up opportunities for career advancement among FCT civil servants and broadened involvement in governance.
He also mentioned road construction and rehabilitation, school renovations, police stations, and other public facilities among the projects being carried out throughout the territory.
The minister voiced confidence that the administration’s record would serve as a foundation for rallying FCT residents behind Tinubu in 2027.
Wike also stood up for the President’s economic reforms, conceding that certain policies had brought hardship while maintaining that tough choices were needed to tackle long-standing economic problems.
“Changing the economy of a country is not like a prayer,” he remarked, noting as well that the gains of economic reforms may not come immediately.
He went on to voice backing for the proposed creation of state police, calling it a crucial step toward tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.
