Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on Nigerians across political parties to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, arguing that the president’s achievements should take precedence over partisan differences.
Wike made the appeal on Tuesday during a media parley in Abuja, where he defended the emerging Rainbow Coalition against suggestions that it could create divisions within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The minister maintained that the coalition was established to expand Tinubu’s support base ahead of the 2027 presidential election by bringing together APC members and supporters of the president from other political parties.
According to him, the initiative is not designed to replace or weaken the ruling party but to provide a broader platform for mobilising support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
“Most importantly, the 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,” Wike said.
The former Rivers State governor, who coordinates the coalition’s activities in Rivers State and the FCT, said political affiliations should not prevent individuals from working towards a common presidential objective.
He explained that members of the coalition would be allowed to retain their political identities and pursue their interests in state and legislative elections while cooperating on Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike dismissed concerns that the arrangement could trigger disagreements among APC governors and other party leaders, insisting that there was no crisis surrounding the coalition.
He said the initiative reflected the realities of Nigerian politics, where individuals and groups could support a presidential candidate without necessarily belonging to the candidate’s political party.
The minister cited the FCT as an example, recalling his appeal to political stakeholders to support Tinubu and APC candidates for the National Assembly while allowing political differences to remain at other levels of the electoral contest.
Wike also defended the Tinubu administration against criticism from opposition politicians, accusing some of deliberately portraying the government as having achieved nothing in a bid to gain political advantage ahead of the next election.
“Whether anybody likes it or not, Mr President has done well,” he said.
He argued that political competition should not prevent Nigerians from acknowledging the achievements of an incumbent administration, regardless of their party affiliations.
Wike further criticised what he described as a tendency among opposition figures to reject government policies and programmes simply because they wanted to take power.
“Politics must not be played as a do-or-die affair,” he said, urging politicians to distinguish between constructive criticism and statements intended to discredit their opponents.
The FCT minister also referred to remarks attributed to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, whom he identified as a member of the opposition Allied Peoples Movement (APM), suggesting that recognition of Tinubu’s performance could come from outside the APC.
He maintained that Nigerians should evaluate the president’s record on its merits rather than rely solely on political narratives promoted by rival parties.
Beyond defending the coalition, Wike called for greater scrutiny of politicians seeking elective offices, urging voters to examine their past decisions and stewardship of public resources before making electoral choices.
His remarks come as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election, with parties and political blocs positioning themselves for the contest.
The minister insisted that the Rainbow Coalition would continue to focus on mobilising cross-party support for Tinubu, maintaining that its central objective was the president’s re-election rather than the consolidation of any particular party’s structure.
