The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, warning against repeating what he described as political mistakes made during the 2023 general elections.
Wike made the call on Thursday at an interactive session organised by the Rainbow Coalition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
The coalition endorsed former Senator Philip Aduda for the FCT senatorial seat and Dr John Gabaya for the Abuja South Federal Constituency seat under its political arrangement.
Wike urged residents to assess political representatives based on their accessibility and commitment to addressing the needs of their communities.
“We must not repeat the mistake we made in 2023 again. If it was an error, let us not repeat such an error again,” he said.
The minister said the Rainbow Coalition was established to unite politicians across party lines and promote the interests of FCT residents, stressing that political affiliation should not take precedence over development.
“It doesn’t matter the party. After all, a party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you are going. When you get there, you come down from the vehicle and work for the interest of the people,” he said.
Wike also questioned the performance of the senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, asking residents whether they had felt her impact and whether she had engaged traditional rulers, women and young people to understand their concerns.
Presenting Aduda to the gathering, the minister described the former senator as a politician who understood the needs of FCT residents and urged the people of Bwari to support him.
Wike attributed ongoing infrastructure development in the territory to the support of President Tinubu, saying the administration was addressing longstanding infrastructure deficits.
He announced that the Bwari-Kubwa road project would be ready for use by December.
“Let me authoritatively tell you today, by the grace of God, this December, you will do Christmas on this road, Bwari to Kubwa,” he said.
The minister also disclosed that Julius Adamu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate in the last Area Council elections, had stepped down in favour of the incumbent Bwari Area Council chairman, Joshua Musa.
He said he would recommend Adamu for a position with the Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board, describing the decision to step down as an example of placing collective interests above personal ambition.
A women’s leader in Bwari Area Council, Deborah Ayorinde, commended Wike for his political intervention but appealed to him to sustain support for the council.
Ayorinde described Bwari as one of the FCT’s six area councils that had suffered prolonged marginalisation and called for continued government attention to its development.
She also expressed confidence that residents would support President Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Earlier, the FCT APC Chairman, Tanko Yamawo, commended Wike for fostering cooperation between politicians from the APC and PDP under the Rainbow Coalition.
He said political divisions that had previously discouraged members of rival parties from associating with one another were giving way to greater cooperation.
Similarly, the FCT PDP Chairman, Ismaila Dogara, said the coalition had come to stay, adding that members of both parties were prepared to work together in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Dogara urged Wike to convey the expectations of FCT residents to the President.
Traditional rulers at the meeting commended ongoing infrastructure projects but appealed for improvements to roads in their communities.
The Sarkin Bwari, Alhaji Awwal Musa Ijakoro II, praised water projects and road construction around Tokulo, Ushafa and the Bwari-Zuba axis, while requesting the rehabilitation of the road linking the Army Checkpoint to central Bwari.
The Esu of Bwari, Dr Ibrahim Yaro, also called for improvements to roads linking Karu, Mpape and neighbouring communities.
In his welcome address, Bwari Area Council Chairman Joshua Musa thanked Wike for his support and pledged continued cooperation with the FCT Administration.
The meeting formed part of the Rainbow Coalition’s political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with APC and PDP stakeholders pledging to work together under the coalition’s arrangement.
