The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the political coalition supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that it is intended to broaden the president’s support base rather than undermine the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike stated this during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissing concerns that the Rainbow Coalition could deepen divisions within the ruling party.
He explained that the initiative was designed to unite APC members and supporters of Tinubu from other political parties behind a common electoral objective ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to the minister, the coalition recognises the political differences across states while providing a platform for individuals and groups who support the president’s re-election.
He said the arrangement did not seek to replace the APC, which would remain the platform for Tinubu’s presidential bid, but to attract support beyond the party’s membership.
“If you see that word, PBT/APC, it means those who are supporting the president who are not members of the party, together with the party, are working together to achieve that purpose,” Wike said.
He cited Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke among political figures associated with the coalition’s state-level coordination.
Wike maintained that the president’s re-election was the coalition’s central objective, regardless of the political affiliations of those involved.
“The major thing is Mr President. Whatever we are going to do, whoever has any idea or anything to contribute is to the success of Mr President. That is the whole thing,” he said.
The minister also dismissed suggestions that the coalition had unsettled APC governors or could trigger defections from the ruling party.
“I don’t know what concerns there are. As far as I am concerned, there is no problem,” he added.
Explaining the coalition’s approach in the FCT, Wike said he had encouraged political stakeholders to support Tinubu and APC candidates for the National Assembly while allowing supporters of other parties to make their choices at other levels of elections.
He said such arrangements were necessary because political interests and circumstances differed across states.
Wike argued that cooperation among political groups was not new in Nigeria, noting that politicians had previously supported presidential candidates outside their parties while pursuing different interests at the state level.
He said the current arrangement had made such cooperation more visible and formalised.
The minister maintained that the coalition was focused on securing Tinubu’s re-election and urged Nigerians to assess the president’s performance based on his record rather than partisan considerations.
