Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he will work for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 despite not being a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke on Saturday after inspecting ongoing projects in the FCT.
He said membership of a presidential campaign council does not determine electoral success, arguing that what matters is the ability to secure votes across states, local government areas and wards.
The APC had earlier unveiled its presidential campaign council, appointing Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara West, as director-general and Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo State, as secretary.
Wike said his Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State was already working on strategies to support Tinubu’s re-election and that he did not need a formal role in the APC campaign structure to do so.
“I am not a member of the APC, so I cannot be in the presidential campaign council. We had our own strategies on how the presidency would emerge,” he said.
“In the Rainbow Coalition, we don’t need to be members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. We are doing our own work.”
The minister said he would take responsibility for Tinubu’s campaign efforts in Rivers and the FCT.
“What is important is: are you able to deliver those two states? Who will be in charge of the Rivers State campaign? Me. Who will be in charge of FCT? Me.”
Wike also cited previous presidential campaigns to argue that holding a senior position in a campaign council does not guarantee victory in the official’s home state.
He mentioned Rotimi Amaechi, who served as director-general of Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaigns in 2015 and 2019 but did not deliver Rivers State; Bukola Saraki, who led Atiku Abubakar’s campaign in 2019 but lost Kwara State and his Senate seat; and Aminu Tambuwal, who served as Atiku’s campaign director-general in 2023 but lost Sokoto State.
He also cited Simon Lalong, who headed the APC presidential campaign council in 2023 but could not deliver Plateau State for the party.
“If you are DG and you don’t win your state, what is the essence of the DG?” Wike asked.
The minister said political alliances could operate outside formal party structures, adding that the Rainbow Coalition was also working in states including Bayelsa, Benue and Kwara in support of Tinubu.
Wike has continued to maintain his support for Tinubu’s second-term bid while remaining a member of the opposition PDP.
