| FCT Minister insists support for president transcends party lines
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the emerging Rainbow Coalition backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that the initiative is designed to broaden the president’s support base rather than undermine the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike, who spoke during a media parley in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissed concerns that the coalition could create divisions within the ruling party or unsettle APC governors.
He explained that the initiative was intended to bring together APC members and supporters of Tinubu from other political parties under a common platform to strengthen the president’s chances in the 2027 general election.
The minister, who coordinates the coalition’s activities in Rivers State and the FCT, said the arrangement was informed by the political realities across different states and the need to accommodate individuals willing to support the president regardless of their party affiliations.
“If you see that word, PBT/APC, it means those who are supporting the president who are not members of the party, together with the party, are working together to achieve that purpose,” Wike said.
He cited Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke as examples of political figures associated with the coalition’s state-level coordination, alongside himself.
Wike stressed that the coalition was not intended to replace the APC, noting that the ruling party remained the platform through which Tinubu would seek re-election, while individuals outside its membership could contribute to the same objective.
“The major thing is Mr President. Whatever we are going to do, whoever has any idea or anything to contribute is to the success of Mr President. That is the whole thing,” he said.
The FCT minister also dismissed suggestions that the coalition had generated tension among APC governors or could trigger defections from the ruling party.
“I don’t know what concerns there are. As far as I am concerned, there is no problem,” he added.
Using the FCT as an example, Wike recalled appealing to political stakeholders to support Tinubu and APC candidates for the National Assembly while allowing supporters of other parties to retain their preferences for candidates at other levels of government.
He said political circumstances differed from one state to another, making it necessary to recognise local interests while building a broader national coalition around the president.
According to him, effective political leadership requires the ability to persuade people with different political backgrounds to work towards a common objective.
Wike further argued that cross-party support for presidential candidates was not new in Nigeria, noting that political figures had previously backed candidates outside their parties while maintaining separate political interests at the state level.
He, however, observed that the current political environment had made such cooperation more visible and organised.
The minister maintained that the coalition’s central objective was to secure Tinubu’s re-election and sustain what he described as the president’s achievements.
He urged Nigerians to assess Tinubu’s performance on its merits, rather than allow party affiliations to determine their judgment of his administration.