In a recent statement released through his spokesman Lere Olayinka, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike clarified his political stance ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying he will support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re‑election but not the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party or its governors.
Wike emphasised that the “Rainbow Coalition” he is assembling in states such as Kwara, Gombe, and Rivers is a cross‑party platform for individuals who approve of the President’s performance, and that it has “nothing to do with the APC.” He added that he will not help people win elections in their states, arguing that “politics is local” and that state issues should be resolved independently of the presidential race.
Through his spokesperson, Wike also stated that he had never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would refrain from fielding candidates for governorship, National Assembly or State Houses of Assembly seats in 2027. The minister reiterated that he will mobilise support for the President’s re‑election, but not for the APC’s broader political agenda.
Wike’s position follows his earlier role as one of the five PDP governors—known as the G5—who backed Tinubu in 2023 without formally defecting to the APC. The minister’s comments raise questions about the relationship between individual support for a candidate and allegiance to the party that sponsors that candidate, a distinction that Nigerian constitutional law recognises.
The Progressive Governors Forum, which had recently resolved that its members would not join any alliance that could “undermine the re‑election of Mr President, weaken the APC, or adversely affect any candidate of the party at all levels,” interpreted the Rainbow Coalition as a potential vehicle for unseating APC governors and legislators under the guise of supporting the President.
“What I said, and what I stand by, is that I will mobilise support for the re‑election of the President. I won’t be the one to help people win elections in their states. 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.”
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
