Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has explained why he did not accept the position of Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign.
Wike said he could not take the position because he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and does not want to put his political standing in Rivers State at risk.
The FCT Minister spoke on Saturday after inspecting the ongoing Apo-Karshi Road and Kubwa-Bwari Road projects in Abuja.
His comments came after the Presidency announced former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election.
Wike said political relevance should not be judged by the position a politician holds in a campaign but by the ability to deliver electoral support in his or her state.
“Political relevance is not about the position you hold in a campaign. What matters is your ability to deliver your state,” he said.
He recalled cases of politicians who served as campaign directors-general but failed to secure victory for their presidential candidates in their home states.
Wike cited former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who served as Director-General of Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign but lost Rivers State.
He also mentioned former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who headed Atiku Abubakar’s 2019 presidential campaign but lost Kwara State and his Senate seat.
Wike further cited former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong in discussing campaign leaders whose candidates failed to win their respective states in the 2023 election.
He said he was not prepared to take a similar political risk, adding that his priority was to support Tinubu’s victory in both Rivers State and the FCT.
“I am not a member of APC. So the issue of their Presidential Campaign Council is out of the question,” Wike said.
Despite not being an APC member, Wike reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
He said he supported Tinubu’s emergence as president in 2023 without being a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, adding that he and his political allies had their own strategy at the time.
Wike said his support for Tinubu in the 2027 election is now being coordinated through what he called the “Rainbow Coalition.”
According to him, the coalition involves politicians from different political parties who support Tinubu’s re-election while retaining membership of their respective parties.
He said the arrangement is already operating in states including Kwara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Osun and Benue, where members are working to mobilise support for the President.
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Meta Description: Nyesom Wike explains why he rejected the Tinubu 2027 campaign DG role, saying he is not an APC member and wants to protect his political base in Rivers State.
