•Kuje leaders pledge ‘top-to-bottom’ APC votes
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Political leaders in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have pledged to deliver “top-to-bottom” votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, citing infrastructure projects and what they described as improved political cooperation under the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
The pledge came as Wike urged other states to emulate the Rainbow Coalition model, which he said had brought peace and political stability to the FCT and Rivers State by encouraging leaders of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to work together despite their partisan differences.
The minister spoke during an interactive engagement with political leaders, traditional rulers, women and youths in Kuje, where he argued that political competition should not degenerate into violence, hostility or the destruction of property.
“If Nigerian politics can come to this level, we will not be hearing about fighting; we will not be seeing ourselves killing each other,” Wike said.
The declarations of support for the APC came from several stakeholders, including Senator Jibrin Usman Wowo, who said political leaders in Kuje had consulted with different segments of the community and agreed to support President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party.
“Honourable Minister, I want to assure you that we in Kuje Area Council have sat down and agreed that Kuje people are going to vote APC from top to bottom,” Wowo said.
The Kuje Area Council Chairman, Samuel Shekwolo, also urged residents to honour their commitments at the polls on January 16, 2027, by supporting Tinubu, former FCT Senator Philip Aduda and Dablandi Chiya.
The endorsements followed Wike’s defence of the Rainbow Coalition, which he said had brought politicians from the APC and PDP together to pursue common objectives and reduce political divisions.
According to him, the model demonstrated that political parties could cooperate in the interest of the people rather than allow partisan differences to fuel conflict.