Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says his support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027 remains sacrosanct.
Wike also said he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not field candidates for governorship, national assembly and state house of assembly elections.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Lere Olayinka, his senior special assistant on public communications and social media, Wike said the “rainbow coalition” had nothing to do with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He described the coalition as a platform for political parties that support Tinubu’s re-election because they believe he has performed well.
Wike said he would not help people win elections in their respective states, adding that those facing political challenges should resolve them locally rather than use Tinubu’s re-election to whip up sentiments.
“Politics is local and those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of using the re-election of the President to whip up sentiments,” he said.
The minister said he did not meet with the APC before he and other members of the G5 supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
He said his support in 2027 was specifically for Tinubu and did not extend to candidates of the APC or any other party in state and legislative elections.
Wike said politics was no longer about coming from fourth position to become governor, but about mobilising genuine support and winning elections from the polling units.
He cited the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states as examples of voters supporting different parties in presidential and legislative elections.
“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.
“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?
“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?”
Wike urged political stakeholders to prioritise the presidential election, saying other elections could be addressed after Tinubu’s re-election.
“After the president must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states,” he said.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the president. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and state house of assembly elections.
“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.”
