The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reiterated that his primary political objective is to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Wike made the declaration on Monday in Abuja while speaking with journalists after inspecting ongoing road projects across the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister also dismissed allegations that the cross-party Rainbow Coalition, with which he is associated, was formed to destabilise existing political parties.
Describing the allegations as “baseless,” Wike said the coalition was established to bring together individuals from different political platforms who support the Tinubu administration.
He said his immediate political focus was the 2027 presidential election and the continuation of Tinubu’s administration beyond 2027.
“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 minister said he was not concerned by the accusations surrounding the Rainbow Coalition but expressed disappointment over claims that the group could destabilise political parties.
“I am not bothered about what accusations people make, but it is very disappointing to hear some people say the Rainbow Coalition will destabilise the party,” he said.
According to Wike, the coalition was not seeking to prevent anyone from supporting other political interests but was encouraging its members and other like-minded Nigerians to support Tinubu.
“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.
Wike also recalled the role played by the G5 governors during the 2023 general elections, questioning why similar concerns were not raised at the time over the group’s potential impact on the political structure.
“Looking back at 2023 when it was the G5, why did nobody complain that it would destabilise the party? Did the President not win? Did it affect the APC-controlled National Assembly?” he asked.
The minister acknowledged that the G5 may have provided a political advantage but argued that this did not explain the concerns currently being raised about the Rainbow Coalition.
“You can argue that it gave them an advantage, but that is not the real cause of the outcry today. There are undertones to this,” Wike said.
He added that he would appear on TVC later on Monday to provide further explanations about the issues surrounding the Rainbow Coalition.
According to the minister, the television appearance would provide an opportunity to explain what he described as the reasons behind the concerns being expressed about the political initiative.
