ABUJA — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully aware of his political activities and the “Rainbow Coalition” he is mobilising across party lines ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made this known on Tuesday night during an interview on Arise News’ Prime Time, insisting that his political activities are not being carried out behind the President’s back.
“There is nothing that I do that I don’t tell Mr. President,” Wike said.
The minister stressed that his support was specifically for Tinubu’s re-election and not for the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that he remains a PDP member.
He also dismissed criticisms from APC governors, declaring that he was not accountable to them.
“I’m not answerable to APC governors,” Wike stated.
Wike, who served as governor of Rivers State, also defended his performance in the FCT, particularly his decision to embark on an extensive commissioning of completed projects.
“If people fail to learn from other people, they don’t grow. I took 31 days to commission projects in the FCT and they are not happy,” he said.
The minister subsequently took a swipe at Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, over his criticism of the political coalition.
“Hope Uzodimma should be lucky that I’m not in the APC. Hope fears for nothing,” Wike said.
He described some of the APC governors who held a press conference criticising his political activities as “smart but politically lazy,” while questioning their electoral performances during the 2023 presidential election.
Wike particularly challenged Uzodimma over Tinubu’s performance in Imo State, where he said the President polled less than 10 per cent of the votes.
“Hope Uzodimma was the governor of Imo State, yet President Tinubu could not secure 10 per cent of the votes there,” he said.
He also questioned the argument that politicians supporting Tinubu across party lines were acting inconsistently.
“The governors of Osun, Anambra and Abia States are supporting the President’s re-election. Won’t they still support the candidates of their parties in other elections? So where is the confusion?” he asked.
On Rivers State, Wike attributed what he described as improved political stability to his “Rainbow Coalition.”
“Because of our Rainbow Coalition, we no longer have Rivers of blood. There is no litigation on party candidates in Rivers State, unlike Imo State,” he said.
Asked about Tinubu’s prospects in the South-South, Wike expressed confidence that the President could win Bayelsa State, claiming that members of the PDP in the state were working for Tinubu.
“That can happen in Bayelsa State. The whole PDP there is working for the President,” he said.
Wike also dismissed attempts to attribute Bayelsa’s political structure to an individual, saying, “The founder of the NDC is not the founder of Bayelsa.”
The minister further predicted victory for Tinubu in the FCT in the 2027 presidential election.
“As I sit here today, I will tell you that the President will win in the FCT,” Wike declared.
