Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has downplayed concerns that the Rainbow Coalition’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s reelection could pose a threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that the initiative is intended to mobilize support across party lines.
Speaking during a live media conference in Abuja on Tuesday under the observation of our correspondent, Wike stated that the coalition’s goal was to bring together APC members and the President’s supporters from other political parties in advance of the 2027 general election rather than to undermine the ruling party.
The arrangement was made to take into account the political differences of each state while pursuing a common goal, according to the minister who oversees the coalition’s operations in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said;
“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.
“The major thing is Mr President. Whatever we do, anyone with an idea or anything to contribute is contributing to Mr President’s success. That is the whole thing.”
“I don’t know what concerns there are. As far as I am concerned, there is no problem.”
Wike gave the FCT as an illustration of how political interests could be accommodated by the larger arrangement.
He recalled urging local political players to back Tinubu and APC candidates for the National Assembly while letting supporters of other parties make their own decisions at other levels.
According to him, building a broad-based coalition requires flexibility because political conditions vary from state to state.
According to the minister, political leadership necessitated the capacity to persuade individuals with disparate affiliations to collaborate toward a shared goal.
He maintained that cross-party cooperation was nothing new in Nigerian politics and contended that backing a presidential candidate did not necessitate supporters leaving their political parties.
Wike says that supporting a presidential candidate does not mean abandoning one’s political party. However, I can boldly say that Wike has abandoned his party and is focused on another. I have said it time and again: we do not even know which party he truly belongs to. Some days he appears to support the PDP; on many others, the APC. Only Wike knows the truth, but I believe he is reluctant to say it openly. To me, he is in APC, his whole body is in APC. Thank you.
