Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he does not require a position in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council to support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to journalists after inspecting ongoing projects in the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister argued that membership of a campaign council does not automatically guarantee electoral success, stressing that what matters is a politician’s ability to secure votes across their state, local government and ward.
The APC recently announced its presidential campaign council, appointing Senator Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as Secretary.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Wike dismissed suggestions that politicians who are not members of the APC campaign council would be unable to contribute to Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
He said the Rainbow Coalition he established in Rivers State to support Tinubu’s second-term bid already had its own strategy for delivering electoral victory.
“I am not a member of the APC, so I cannot be in the presidential campaign council. We had our own strategies on how the presidency would emerge,” he said.
He added, “In the rainbow coalition, we don’t need to be members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. We are doing our own work.
“What is important is: are you able to deliver those two states? Who will be in charge of the Rivers state campaign? Me. Who will be in charge of FCT? Me.”
Wike further argued that holding a senior position in a presidential campaign does not necessarily translate into winning elections, citing previous campaign leaders who failed to deliver their home states.
“Rotimi Amaechi served as DG for Muhammadu Buhari’s campaigns in 2015 and 2019 but failed to secure Rivers,” Wike said.
He also stated, “Bukola Saraki led Atiku Abubakar’s campaign council in 2019 as DG but lost both Kwara and his senatorial seat.
“Aminu Tambuwal served as DG for Atiku Abubakar in 2023 and lost Sokoto State.
“Simon Lalong headed the APC presidential campaign council as DG in 2023 but failed to deliver Plateau.
“If you are DG and you don’t win your state, what is the essence of the DG? If you lose your own state, even if you are DG, you will be ashamed. When you say you won, people will ask: ‘Why didn’t you win in your own state?’”
The FCT minister maintained that political alliances are not limited to formal party structures, noting that his Rainbow Coalition is already operating in states including Bayelsa, Benue and Kwara in support of the presidency.
He reiterated that the coalition would continue its activities towards Tinubu’s re-election regardless of whether its members hold positions in the APC Presidential Campaign Council.