The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday expressed that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, “appeared not to have learnt,” as he defended his ongoing support for President Bola Tinubu and candidates aligned with the President.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Wike reiterated that his backing of the President was not a recent development, noting that he had publicly declared this stance in 2023.
“I told you in 2023 that even as a PDP man, I was going to work for the President. That is what I did because I believe, and rightly so, that the other parties did not present serious candidates,” he said, stressing that his political position remains unchanged.
Wike criticised his party for failing to learn from past experiences. “I have said several times that, as far as I am concerned, my party appears not to have learnt. That is why I said I was going to support Mr President for a second term,” he stated.
He further faulted the PDP for not consulting him on the candidates it planned to field. “As a minister, my party did not consult me on the candidates they were going to present,” he added.
The minister emphasised that his support spans party lines, provided candidates back the President’s re-election. “I said I would support candidates who support Mr President for his re-election. It does not matter which party they belong to. If they support Mr President, then of course I will pitch my tent with them,” he said.
On the FCT elections held on February 21, 2025, Wike highlighted that “Election is a process. It begins with the nomination of candidates, proceeds through campaigns, and then culminates in voting. It is not just about a particular day.”
Addressing the movement restrictions announced before the polls, he insisted the directive was issued with presidential approval for security purposes. “By the approval of the President, movement was restricted from 8 p.m. for security reasons. It was to ensure that people did not import troublemakers into the city to cause a crisis,” Wike said, rejecting claims that voters were disenfranchised.
“The election was on Saturday, and voting took place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. You cannot say people were not allowed to vote. That is not correct,” he added.
Responding to criticism of his presence at polling units, Wike maintained he acted within delegated authority. “The power has been delegated to me. A certain amount of authority has been given to me to act on behalf of the President,” he said, dismissing allegations of influencing the outcome. “I was not on the ballot. I never told anyone not to vote for any candidate. All I said was that I would support candidates who support Mr President.”
Wike also underscored his political identity, stating: “Let me make this clear: I am a politician. I chose to be a politician, and politics is about winning.”
On voter disenfranchisement claims, he challenged the notion. “What is disenfranchisement? If a party says it is not prepared for an election, does that stop others from voting? Disenfranchisement means people were not allowed to vote, and that was not the case,” he said, urging aggrieved parties to pursue legal channels. “If anyone is dissatisfied, they should go to the tribunal. Let the tribunal cancel the election and order a rerun if necessary. The outcome will not be different.”
During the February 21 polls, the All Progressives Congress won five of the six Area Council chairmanship seats in the FCT—Abuja Municipal, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali, and Kuje—while the PDP captured Gwagwalada.