Wike hails Tinubu’s inclusion of opposition figures in campaign council

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described President Bola Tinubu’s decision to include politicians from opposition parties in his 2027 presidential campaign council as a wise move, saying the president’s re-election bid should attract support beyond the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Wike spoke during a media chat in Abuja, while defending the inclusion of political figures who are not members of the ruling party in the council.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on Tuesday that the campaign council list includes Mr Wike who is a key figure of the People Democratic Party (PDP), the Osun State governor of Accord Party, and Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

However, Mr Wike, defending the inclusion of the three politicians, stated that they had committed to supporting Mr Tinubu’s re-election despite belonging to different political parties. He added that being assigned roles in the campaign structure reflected the president’s willingness to accommodate people outside the APC.

Mr Wike is to coordinate Mr Tinubu’s campaign in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, while Mr Soludo and Mr Adeleke are to coordinate the campaign in their respective states.

“My thinking is that the president is wisdom. Because there are those who are not members of his political party but have something to offer. So it’s re-election, and it will be proper to accommodate them so they can be able to offer support,” Mr Wike stated.

He said the arrangement reflected a broader coalition of politicians who believe the president has performed well and want him to continue in office, regardless of their party affiliations.

Support for Tinubu won’t create confusion in the state

Mr Wike also dismissed concerns that the coalition could create confusion or undermine opposition parties’ candidates in other elections. He argued that politicians could support Mr Tinubu at the presidential level while backing candidates from their own parties in governorship and legislative contests, depending on the political circumstances in their states.

“There are peculiarities in some states,” he said, adding that support for the president did not necessarily mean abandoning other parties’ candidates in state and legislative elections.

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The minister said political leaders should be able to acknowledge what they consider to be a president’s achievements even when they belong to opposition parties.

Mr Wike’s comments come amid debate over the ‘rainbow coalition’ he leads and concerns reportedly expressed by some APC governors about its implications for the ruling party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.