*Says APC, PDP now working together,
*Kuje stakeholders pledge block votes for Tinubu, Aduda,Chiya
*Promises Airport Road–Gwagwalada project will be ready in December
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Rainbow Coalition has helped end political hostility in the territory, urging other states to adopt the model to promote peace, stability and development.
Wike said the collaboration between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the FCT and Rivers State had shown that political rivals could work together without allowing party differences to trigger violence and division.
The minister spoke during an interactive engagement with political leaders, traditional rulers, women and youths in Kuje Area Council, Abuja, where stakeholders pledged support for President Bola Tinubu and candidates backed by the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
“If Nigerian politics can come to this level, we will not be hearing about fighting; we will not be seeing ourselves killing ourselves,” Wike said.
He described the Rainbow Coalition as a platform for cross-party cooperation, stressing that political differences should not stop leaders from working together to address the needs of the people.
According to him, the model, also being promoted in Rivers State, has created room for politicians from different parties to pursue common interests and support candidates beyond their traditional party affiliations.
Wike, however, warned residents against repeating what he described as the political mistake of the 2023 elections, urging them to consider accessibility, accountability and performance when choosing their representatives.
He took a swipe at the current FCT senator, alleging that the lawmaker had failed to engage adequately with communities and understand the challenges facing residents.
The minister contrasted this with former FCT Senator Philip Aduda, whom he described as a politician who maintained close contact with his constituents.
“Aduda knows them. Aduda knows when they have problems. Aduda knows when they are sleeping, and Aduda knows when they are crying. That is the essence of representation,” he said.
He cautioned voters against entrusting their future to politicians he described as “political gamblers”, insisting that electoral decisions should be based on records of service rather than promises.
On infrastructure, Wike assured residents that the road project linking the Airport Road–Tipper Garage corridor to Gwagwalada would be completed and commissioned by the end of December.
He recalled that traditional rulers in Kuje had identified the road as a priority during an earlier visit, urging the administration to address its poor condition.
The minister said the first phase of the project had been commissioned, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima representing Tinubu during activities marking the administration’s third anniversary.
“Let me assure you, to the glory of God, by the end of December, we will also commission the one that leads to Gwagwalada,” he said.
Wike urged residents to compare the road’s former condition with its current state, describing the project as part of efforts to improve connectivity and living conditions in satellite communities.
In a show of support, the Hakimi of Kuje Area Council, Shuibu Pada, assured the minister that residents would reciprocate the administration’s interventions with electoral support, promising block votes for candidates backed by the coalition.
He, however, appealed for more roads in interior communities, including routes linking Rubochi, Kwali and neighbouring settlements, noting that residents outside major road corridors also needed government attention.
Also speaking, Senator Jibrin Usman Wowo declared support for Tinubu and the APC, saying stakeholders across Kuje had consulted and agreed to support the party in the forthcoming elections.
Wowo said the consultations involved women, youths, elderly residents and traditional rulers, adding that the community was ready to demonstrate its appreciation for the administration’s interventions through their votes.
“Honourable Minister, I want to assure you that we in Kuje Area Council have sat down and agreed that Kuje people are going to vote APC from top to bottom,” he said.
FCT APC Chairman, Tanko Yamawo, praised the administration’s infrastructure programme and political engagement, saying the coalition had encouraged leaders from the APC and PDP to work together.
He described the willingness of politicians from opposing parties to sit together as a significant development in Kuje’s political environment.
Similarly, FCT PDP Chairman, Ismael Dogora, credited Wike’s political engagement with fostering unity and reducing hostility during political activities in the territory.
Dogora said the atmosphere had changed from previous election periods, when rival parties and their supporters often engaged in confrontations.
“For the first time, we are campaigning in the FCT and no smashing of cars is recorded anywhere because there is unity in the FCT, courtesy of the Honourable Minister,” he said.
He added that residents were prepared to show appreciation for government interventions, particularly the provision of amenities they had previously demanded through protests.
The Kuje Women Leader, Aishatu Yakubu, commended the administration for recognising women’s contributions to political mobilisation but called for greater inclusion of women in governance and decision-making.
She said women remained a major force in electoral participation and urged political leaders to provide more opportunities for them to contribute to governance. She also appealed for additional road projects across the area council.
In his welcome address, Kuje Area Council Chairman, Samuel Shekwolo, praised Wike for what he described as his inclusive leadership and efforts to unite indigenous and non-indigenous communities in the FCT.
Shekwolo recalled that some residents, particularly young people, had previously felt neglected because of inadequate development, with some viewing Kuje mainly as the location of a prison facility.
He said the minister’s interventions had helped change that perception and renewed residents’ confidence in the area’s development prospects.
The chairman noted that political leaders from the ruling party and opposition were now working together, urging residents to support Tinubu, Aduda and Dablandi Chiya in the January 16, 2027 elections.
Wike urged political stakeholders to sustain the cooperation, saying the experience in the FCT and Rivers State showed that cross-party collaboration could promote peace, political stability and development.
