Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, September 15, stated that his support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained sacrosanct, saying he never said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not field candidates in governoship, National Assembly and Houses of Assembly elections.
The minister said the rainbow coalition does not have anything to do with the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the coalition as a platform for other political parties that are pleased with the good works of the president and are supporting his reelection.
In a statement on Tuesday by Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister noted that “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.”
Wike pointed out that he never met with the All Progressives Congress (APC) before he and other members of the G5 supported the president in 2023, and that for 2027, his support is for the president only.
The minister said politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor, it is about genuinely mobilising support and winning elections from the polling units.
“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 and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?
“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states where the president did not have ten per cent of the votes?” he asked.
He also said: “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 all stakeholders to put the presidential election first, saying; “after the president must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our 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 Houses of Assembly elections.
“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is own way of mobilising support accross political parties for the president, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.
