The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has assured President Bola Tinubu that residents of the territory will not repeat the mistake of 2023 but would back his re-election in 2027.
The assurance was delivered on Thursday at an interactive session of the Rainbow Coalition, a political arrangement between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties, held in Bwari Area Council, Abuja .
THE QUESTION
Wike asked the gathering a direct question.
“The mistake we made in 2023, would we make that mistake again? If it was an error, would we make that error again?” he asked.The audience answered no .
THE PARTY AS A VEHICLE
Wike urged residents to focus on the performance of political leaders rather than party affiliations.
“It doesn’t matter the party. After all, party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you are going. When you get there, you come down from the vehicle and you now work for the interest of the people,” he said.
He also endorsed former FCT Senator Philip Aduda and John Gbadaya under the coalition’s political arrangement, describing Aduda as someone who understands the needs of residents.
Wike questioned the impact of the current FCT senator, Ireti Kingibe, asking residents whether they had felt her presence and contributions.
THE PROJECTS
Wike defended Tinubu’s administration, citing ongoing infrastructure projects in the FCT as evidence of the government’s commitment to development.
He promised that the Gombe-Kubwa road would be ready by December, expressing confidence that residents would use the road during the Christmas period.
He also disclosed that Julius Adamu, who contested for the Bwari Area Council chairmanship under the PDP in the last Area Council elections, had stepped down in support of the incumbent chairman, Joshua.
Wike said he would recommend Adamu for a position in the FCT Universal Basic Education Commission.
THE COALITION’S STRENGTH
The FCT APC chairman, Tanko Yamawo, commended Wike for bringing politicians from the two parties together.
“What you have done today is not for Aduda, Gbadaya and Chiya to benefit, but all of us as politicians in FCT are going to benefit from what you have started today,” Yamawo said.
The FCT PDP chairman, Ismaila Dogara, said the Rainbow Coalition “had come to stay” and that his members were ready to work for Tinubu.
WHY IT MATTERS
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Wike’s confidence that FCT residents will not repeat the “mistake” of 2023 is a significant claim.In 2023, Tinubu won the FCT, but the margin was not overwhelming.
The FCT is a cosmopolitan territory with a diverse population, and its voters are not easily categorised along party lines.
The Rainbow Coalition’s strategy is to bring together APC and PDP structures to mobilise support for Tinubu. If it succeeds, it could deliver a stronger margin for the President in 2027.
But the coalition’s effectiveness depends on whether voters are persuaded by Wike’s argument that performance matters more than party affiliation.
ValidViewNetwork reports that the Rainbow Coalition continues to gather momentum in the FCT. The 2027 election will test whether its cross-party appeal translates into votes.