Wike defends cross-party coalition for Tinubu’s re-election

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the growing cross-party political alliance backing President Bola Tinubu re-election in 2027.

Mr Wike, who made this known during a monthly media chat in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissed claims of internal crisis.

He described the rainbow coalition as “a movement bringing together figures from the All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other political platforms to support Tinubu”.

He emphasised that support for the presidency transcends individual party cards, adding that he would be leading Tinubu’s re-election campaign in FCT and Rivers despite being in the PDP.

Highlighting key figures driving the coalition across various states, Mr Wike pointed out Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, a member of APGA serving as a key campaigner for Tinubu in his state.

“In Osun, Governor Ademola Adeleke (PDP) is supporting the president at the national level while maintaining party identities sub-nationally,” he said.

Replying to critics who see a contradiction in political figures backing the presidential candidate of one party while contesting sub-national seats under another, Mr Wike dismissed the perceived friction as a “problem that does not exist.”

“Why would anybody say there is a problem there? Take Soludo—he is supporting Mr. President, but that does not mean his party will not field candidates for the House of Representatives or state assembly.

“It tells you leadership capacity. If you speak to your people and they listen, that is political strength,” the minister said.

READ ALSO: Wike admits working with APC to defeat PDP in 2024 Edo governorship election

Addressing opposition figures and state governors who have publicly acknowledged the president’s performance, Mr Wike singled out the Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State for praising national infrastructure and governance strides despite belonging to an opposition party.

He urged politicians to put national progress above blind partisanship

“Time has come, not because of your political party, to just say the chief manager of the country has done nothing for the sake of politics. Politics must be a do-or-die affair.

“For us, whether anybody likes it or not, Mr. President has done well,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Messrs Wike, Soludo and Adeleke had been named as members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council despite belonging to PDP, APGA and Accord Party. They are to coordinate President Tinubu’s re-election campaign in their respective states.