Nigeria's Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed speculation surrounding his alleged plans for the 2031 presidential election. Wike stated that his immediate concern is the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027. He made these remarks while responding to questions from journalists on Monday, after inspecting some ongoing projects in Abuja.
The controversy surrounding Wike's Rainbow Coalition had sparked allegations by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the initiative could undermine the party or create a platform for his future presidential ambition. However, Wike insisted that his focus remained the success of Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid, noting that he had consistently made his position known that he would support the President with all his might and strength.
Wike recalled that he contested the 2023 presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and came second, adding that his experience in Nigerian politics had taught him not to make premature political calculations. He said it was premature for him to begin planning for the 2031 election, saying that political ambitions were subject to life and circumstances.
The Minister also rejected allegations that the Rainbow Coalition was designed to destabilise the APC. He said the coalition was not an APC structure but a platform through which members of different political parties and like-minded Nigerians could mobilise support for Tinubu. His position is consistent with his earlier clarification that the coalition has no affiliation with the APC and that the PDP remains free to field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections in 2027.
Wike expressed surprise at the concerns being expressed over the coalition, recalling that he and other members of the G5 governors supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election without entering into an agreement with APC governors. He also challenged those questioning the coalition to consider the voting patterns in the 2023 elections, when voters in some states supported different parties in presidential and legislative elections.
The disagreement comes against the backdrop of the Progressive Governors Forum's recent rejection of political alliances that it says could weaken the APC or undermine its candidates in the 2027 elections. Wike, however, maintained that the coalition was aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu across political parties and was not intended to prevent other parties from contesting state and legislative elections.
Wike dismissed the suggestion that he was positioning himself for 2031, saying, "You have to pray that you are alive. When God keeps you alive, then you begin to say what would be." He asked, "Why all this cry about Rainbow Coalition?" The Minister said he would not be distracted by allegations about his alleged 2031 ambition, stressing that his priority was the 2027 presidential election.
Key points
- Wike denies planning for the 2031 presidential election, focusing on supporting President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
- The Rainbow Coalition is not an APC structure, but a platform to mobilise support for Tinubu across political parties.
- Wike's priority is the 2027 presidential election, not planning for 2031.
