My priority is Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, says Wike
The federal capital territory minister, Nyesom Wike, has said securing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 remains his immediate political priority, as he rejected claims that his cross-party Rainbow Coalition was intended to destabilise existing political parties.
Wike made the remarks on Monday after inspecting ongoing road projects in Abuja, amid disagreement over the coalition and its role ahead of the 2027 general election.
“My primary concern is whether Tinubu will be re-elected for a second term, and I have made it known from the onset that I am going to support Mr President with all my might and strength,” Wike said.
The former Rivers state governor said the coalition was intended to bring together supporters of Tinubu from different political parties rather than operate as a structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike said members of other parties were not being asked to abandon their political affiliations but to support Tinubu in the presidential election.
“We have not gone to anyone to say they should not support anyone; rather, we asked all our party members and like-minded people who are not APC members to ensure they support Mr President,” he said.
The minister compared the arrangement with the G5 governors’ political activities before the 2023 general election. The group of five then-Peoples Democratic Party governors, which included Wike, declined to support the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Wike questioned why similar concerns about destabilising political parties had not been raised over the G5 at the time.
His Rainbow Coalition has, however, faced opposition from some APC governors, who have expressed concern about political arrangements they say could undermine the ruling party or its candidates. Wike maintains that the coalition is focused on mobilising support for Tinubu rather than the APC as a party.
Wike also rejected speculation that the political arrangement was designed to position him for a presidential bid in 2031.
“People are taking the position of God,” he said, arguing that political circumstances several years from now could not be predetermined.
He added that Tinubu would be expected to have an interest in who succeeds him after completing a possible second term and said he did not intend to oppose the president over such a choice.
Turning to infrastructure, Wike said he was satisfied with progress on road projects inspected in the FCT and that contractors had committed to completing major works before the 2027 general elections.
The projects include the Inner Southern Expressway, sections of the Southern Parkway and the road linking Nile University to Ring Road III.
Wike said the contractors had given assurances on their completion schedules and maintained that the administration would deliver the projects it had promised FCT residents.