Wike Clarifies 2027 Stance: My Support is for President Tinubu Only; PDP Will Field Candidates
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has clarified his political stance ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that his commitment to the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is absolute.
However, he maintained that this does not mean the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will step down from contesting other elective positions.
In a statement released on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike dismissed claims that the opposition party would abstain from the polls. He emphasized that he never promised the PDP would not field candidates for governorship, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly elections.
Wike’s statement comes barely 24 hours after the APC governors under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) issued a firm position after its high-level meeting yesterday.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is also the chairman of the PGF, read the position of the APC governors on Monday night, rejecting any support for any political party other than the APC.
“The forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the reelection of Mr. President, weakening the APC, or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodimma had stated.
Uzodimma reasserted: “In other words, the Forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate, because the election and our candidates are a standing election as being sponsored by our party.”
Wike Reacts, Explains His ‘Rainbow Coalition’ Movement
Addressing the political cross-carpet arrangements, Wike explained that the widely discussed “rainbow coalition” is entirely separate from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Instead, he described it as an independent platform for members of various political parties who recognize the achievements of the President and wish to support his second-term bid.
The Minister urged political actors to stop hiding behind national sentiments to mask their local failures.
“Politics is local, and those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments,” Wike stated, adding that he would not be responsible for helping politicians win elections in their respective domains.
Lessons from the 2023 Elections
Reflecting on the dynamics of the 2023 elections, Wike recalled that he and other members of the G5 governors supported President Tinubu without holding any prior meetings with the APC. He argued that Nigerian voters have proven they can split their tickets based on individual candidates rather than party lines.
“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027, provided we all support the president genuinely this time,” Wike argued.
Presidential Reelection as Priority Number One
The FCT Minister concluded by stating that political success is built from the grassroots up, advising stakeholders to prioritize the presidential race before focusing on regional contests.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly, and States House of Assembly elections,” Wike reiterated. “After the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our states.”
