Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, while insisting that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains free to field candidates in other elections.
Wike made the clarification in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, in response to concerns raised by governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the Rainbow Coalition.
The minister said the coalition was not an APC structure but a cross-party platform established to mobilise support for Mr Tinubu’s re-election.
“The coalition is a platform for other political parties that are pleased with the good works of Tinubu and are supporting his re-election. It has nothing to do with APC,” he said.
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Wike also rejected suggestions that his support for Mr Tinubu meant that the PDP would abandon other electoral contests in 2027.
“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,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor said political disputes at the state level should not be linked to the president’s re-election campaign.
“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.
Wike said he and other members of the G5 did not meet with APC leaders before supporting Mr Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, adding that his position for 2027 remained focused on the president.
He argued that voters could support different parties in presidential and legislative elections without being confused.
Wike cited the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states, where voters backed APC candidates in some National Assembly contests despite giving other parties more support in the presidential election.
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“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 per cent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?” he asked.
He also cited APC’s victories in National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu, despite Mr Tinubu recording less than 10 per cent of the presidential votes in those states.
Wike urged supporters of Mr Tinubu to prioritise the presidential election before turning their attention to contests in their respective states.
“After the President has been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states,” he said.
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The APC Governors Forum had earlier said its members would not support or endorse political arrangements that could undermine the party, its candidates or Mr Tinubu’s re-election bid.
