The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has cautioned members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council against taking credit for President Bola Tinubu’s victory in 2027 if they fail to secure support for him in their respective states.
Wike gave the warning on Wednesday during the inauguration of the campaign council in Abuja, insisting that the president’s re-election should be the primary objective of everyone involved, irrespective of their position in the campaign structure.
According to the minister, members of the council should be judged by their ability to mobilise votes for Tinubu rather than by the titles they hold within the organisation.
“I want to say, if you don’t deliver your states and the president wins, don’t say we’ve won. It’s not a question of whether I am chairman, secretary or member of this. What is important is for the president to win,” Wike said.
He also cited Lagos State as an example, saying he had told the President’s Chief of Staff that the campaign could not claim a collective victory if Tinubu failed to win there.
“I told the Chief of Staff to the President, if the president doesn’t win in Lagos, don’t say we’ve won,” he added.
The former Rivers State governor expressed confidence that Tinubu would receive substantial support in Rivers State and the FCT during the 2027 presidential election.
“By the grace of God, Rivers and FCT will vote massively for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Wike also commended Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for attending the inauguration, describing their presence as a sign of the support Tinubu was receiving ahead of the polls.
Minister Defends Tinubu’s Record
During his address, Wike defended the Tinubu administration, arguing that previous governments had identified Nigeria’s challenges without doing enough to resolve them.
He also challenged officials of the FCT’s area councils to dispute his claim that the current administration had made an impact in Abuja.
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“I challenge any area council that can say they don’t feel the impact of Mr President in Abuja,” the minister stated.
His remarks came as members of the APC-led campaign council began preparations for Tinubu’s re-election bid, with political mobilisation and support across the states expected to be central to the campaign.
Wike Reasserts Position In PDP
Despite his involvement in the APC presidential campaign council, Wike maintained that he remains a member and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He rejected the suggestion that the party has competing leaders, insisting that his position within the opposition party remains unchanged.
“As an opposition party member, as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, there are no two leaders of the PDP. I am the leader,” he said.