Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has advised All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders against claiming victory in the 2027 elections if they fail to deliver their respective states for President Bola Tinubu.
Wike spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the inauguration of the APC presidential campaign council, where he pledged to mobilise support for Tinubu in Rivers state and the FCT.
He said APC leaders should be judged by the votes they deliver for Tinubu, who is seeking re-election, rather than by the positions they hold on the campaign council.
“If you don’t deliver your state and the president wins, don’t say we have won. So it is not a question of I am chairman of this, I’m secretary of this, I’m a member of this,” Wike said.
Using Lagos state as an example, Wike said Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s chief of staff and former speaker of the house of representatives, should not celebrate the president’s re-election if the APC fails to win the commercial state.
Wike, who said he had been assigned to coordinate the campaign in Rivers and the FCT, promised to ensure that both areas voted “massively” for Tinubu.
“And let me say, I pledged by the grace of God, Rivers and FCT will vote massively for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That is my joy. I have only two assignments, Rivers and FCT,” he said.
The former Rivers state governor also defended Tinubu’s leadership, arguing that the president had demonstrated the willingness to confront problems previous administrations had avoided.
He cited the proposed establishment of state police as an example, saying successive administrations had recognised its potential to address insecurity but had failed to take decisive steps towards its implementation.
Wike expressed optimism that the proposed state police initiative would be approved within the coming months, describing the move as evidence of leadership.
He said being in the opposition should not prevent politicians from acknowledging Tinubu’s achievements.
Wike said democracy allows opposition parties to identify areas where the ruling party has fallen short, but does not require them to deny achievements.
Wike, who described himself as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said his support for Tinubu was based on his assessment of the president’s leadership rather than partisan considerations.
