*Tells Uzodimma Politics No Longer About Becoming Gov From Fourth Position
*PDP Says APC Govs’ Opposition Driven By Fear Due To Underperformance
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has restated his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in next year’s general elections, but insisted that such does not mean his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not field candidates for other positions.
Wike insisted that his position to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election, while backing his party’s candidates for the governorship, National Assembly and states Houses of Assembly elections.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 15, by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, the former Rivers State governor clarified that his Rainbow Coalition was not an arrangement with the All Progressives Congress (APC), but a platform through which members of different political parties can mobilise support for Tinubu.
The minister stressed that he would not be responsible for assisting individuals to win elections in their respective states, noting that political disputes at the state level should be resolved locally, rather than being linked to the President’s re-election, saying: “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.” he
He recalled that he and other members of the G5 did not meet with the APC before supporting Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, reiterating that his position for 2027 remains focused on the President, adding that electoral success should be based on genuine mobilisation and support at the polling units, rather than assumptions about political alliances.
Wike dismissed suggestions that his arrangement would confuse the electorate, noting: “In Imo State, under Governor Hope Uzodimma, 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 per cent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?
“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?”
He charged political stakeholders to prioritise Tinubu’s presidential re-election before turning their attention to contests in their respective states, adding: “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 states House of Assembly elections.”
Insisting that the rainbow coalition has no connection with the APC, Wike said: “Rather, it is own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr. President, who has done well to deserve a second term.”
Meanwhile, the minister tackled Uzodimma, saying Nigeria’s politics had gone beyond becoming governor from the fourth position.
This followed the doubts of APC governor, led by Uzodimma, concerning his Rainbow Coalition’s political arrangement ahead of the elections.
He stated: “After the President must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to the minister has thrown its weight behind him, alleging that some of the APC have underperformed in office; hence their fear of defeat at the polls.
The party said there was nothing wrong with its member and Wike remaining in the party while mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election bid on the platform of the Rainbow Coalition.
The faction, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman, said the minister has a constitutional right to support any candidate of his choice, regardless of the political party on whose platform the candidate is contesting, despite fielding a presidential candidate in the election, Sandy Onor.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, in a statement on Tuesday, while reacting to the controversy surrounding the coalition, said: “Wike has every constitutional and democratic right to decide whom he supports politically.
“His support for Tinubu is legitimate, and as a serving appointee of the President, there is nothing contradictory about supporting the president, while maintaining his political identity and relationships within the PDP.”
Recall that the APC Governors Forum, chaired by Uzodimma, had opposed any political coalition or alliance that could threaten the chances of the party and its candidates in the elections.
Uzodimma, who is also the Secretary of the Tinubu Campaign Council, said aligning with such a political arrangement could undermine Tinubu’s re-election bid and weaken the APC ahead of the elections.
However, Mohammed stated: “The APC Governors’ Forum should understand that Wike is not their problem; their problem is their poor governance and failure to meet the expectations of their people.
“Their opposition to Wike’s support is driven by fear. The fear that their poor records of performance will be exposed at the polls.
“The APC governors had initially misconceived Wike’s support for Tinubu as an endorsement of the APC. They are now beginning to realise that supporting the President does not mean abandoning the PDP or surrendering the political space to the APC.
“Their demand that Wike should not support or field candidates capable of challenging the APC governors and their anointed candidates is a fundamental political miscalculation.
“Elections are contests, and every political party has the democratic right to present candidates before the electorate.
“The APC governors’ demand is not only politically curious, but also a complete political miscalculation. It exposes the growing anxiety within the APC over the prospect of facing strong PDP candidates at the 2027 elections.
“The reality that appears to have unsettled them is that the PDP has not only stabilised, but has also successfully fielded candidates across elective positions, who are capable of challenging these APC governors and their anointed candidates in 2027.
“It is particularly revealling that governors who earlier claimed to be confident of their performance are now asking their opponents not to field candidates against them.
“If they have truly performed and retained the confidence of their people, they should welcome a contest and allow the electorate to decide.”
Mohammed added: “The APC governors should be reminded that no one can jettison Wike’s support and expect to win elections effortlessly. Those who have attempted to do so in the past have learnt the lesson the hard way.
“The APC governors should also know that Wike is not their problem; their poor governance and fear of electoral defeat are the real problems. Their anxiety is understandable, because Wike has demonstrated, both as governor of Rivers State and as minister of the FCT, a capacity for project delivery, political organisation and electoral mobilisation that cannot simply be wished away.”
Mohammed urged the APC governors to focus on governance and accountability, rather than attempting to influence who Wike supports politically, saying: “They should account for the enormous resources accruing to their states through FAAC and ensure that local governments receive the funds due to them without undue interference.
“The APC governors should, therefore, stop looking for scapegoats. Wike is not their problem. Their governance record, their performance and the confidence or lack of confidence of their people are what will determine their political fate in 2027.”
