Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged the position of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), insisting that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 does not amount to loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike said his commitment was to mobilising support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would remain free to field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

The minister made the clarification on Tuesday in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

He said he never promised that the PDP would withdraw from other electoral contests because of his support for the President.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections,” Wike said.

The minister also clarified that the “rainbow coalition” supporting Tinubu’s re-election was not an APC initiative, but a platform comprising politicians from different political parties who believe the President deserves another term.

“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.

Wike maintained that his support for Tinubu was distinct from the activities of the APC, noting that he and other members of the G5 Governors supported the President in the 2023 presidential election without first meeting with the ruling party.

He said his position for 2027 remained focused on the President’s re-election and should not be used to influence political contests in individual states.

The FCT minister cautioned politicians against using his support for Tinubu to resolve their state-level political disputes, insisting that such matters should be handled locally.

“I won’t be the one to help people to win elections in their States. Politics is local and those having problems in their States should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments,” Wike said.

He urged political stakeholders to prioritise Tinubu’s re-election before turning their attention to governorship and legislative elections in their respective states.

“After the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our States,” he said.

Wike argued that the outcome of the 2023 elections demonstrated that voters could support different political parties at the presidential and legislative levels without confusion.

He cited Imo State, where he said the APC won two senatorial seats despite recording less than 15 per cent of the presidential vote in the state.

“In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?” he asked.

The minister also referred to the APC’s performance in National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states, where he said Tinubu secured less than 10 per cent of the presidential votes in some of the states.

“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu States where the President did not have ten percent of the votes?” he queried.

Wike said voters were capable of supporting Tinubu at the presidential level while backing candidates from other political parties in legislative and state elections.

“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the president genuinely this time?” he asked.

He further dismissed what he described as outdated approaches to winning elections, stressing the importance of genuine grassroots mobilisation.

According to Wike, “politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor,” but about building support from the polling units.

The minister reiterated that the rainbow coalition was a cross-party effort to mobilise support for Tinubu based on an assessment of his performance.

He maintained that his support for the President should not be interpreted as a decision by the PDP to abandon its candidates in other elections scheduled for 2027.