Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has firmly dismissed concerns over his exclusion from the recently inaugurated All Progressives Congress presidential campaign council, declaring that he does not need a formal position within the ruling party's structure to ensure President Bola Tinubu's victory in the 2027 general elections. Wike, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party who has consistently backed the APC president, made the declaration on Saturday, August 22, 2026, while inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects in the FCT, just hours after the APC unveiled its 223-member campaign council. The FCT minister, who has been a vocal supporter of Tinubu's re-election bid, reiterated that his political influence and capacity to deliver electoral results are not dependent on holding any title or position within the APC's campaign machinery.
In a direct and unflinching address to journalists, Wike stated emphatically, "I am not a member of the APC, so I cannot be in the presidential campaign council. And I am not interested in becoming Director-General of the party's presidential campaign council. Holding that position does not automatically translate into electoral success." The minister's comments come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, with the APC having named former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari as its Director-General and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as Secretary of the campaign council. Wike's exclusion from the list of appointees had sparked speculation about his role in the president's re-election bid, but the FCT minister moved quickly to assert that his commitment to Tinubu's victory remained unwavering.
Wike drew on recent political history to argue that campaign titles are meaningless without the ability to deliver votes at the grassroots level. He cited several prominent politicians who served as Directors-General of presidential campaigns but failed to secure their home states for their candidates. "In 2015, Rotimi Amaechi was governor of Rivers State. He was DG of Muhammadu Buhari's campaign. Before you know it, I pulled the carpet off his feet. He lost. He didn't get 25 percent," Wike said, referring to his own role in delivering Rivers State for the opposition in that election. He added that Amaechi also failed to deliver Rivers in 2019 while serving as Minister of Transport and campaign DG. The FCT minister also pointed to former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who led Atiku Abubakar's campaign council in 2019 but lost both Kwara State and his senatorial seat; former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who served as DG for Atiku in 2023 and lost Sokoto; and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who headed the APC presidential campaign council in 2023 but failed to deliver Plateau.
"If you are DG and you don't win your state, what is the essence of the DG? If you lose your own state, even if you are DG, you will be ashamed," Wike declared. His argument was clear: political influence should be measured by electoral results, not by the prominence of campaign titles. "Every politics is local. If you cannot deliver the president in your state, how would you say you want election?" he asked. The minister's remarks serve as a pointed challenge to those scrambling for positions in the campaign council, urging them to prioritise grassroots mobilisation and electoral delivery over titles and recognition.
Wike made it abundantly clear that his focus remains squarely on delivering the two territories where he wields significant political influence: Rivers State and the FCT. "I don't want to lose my state. I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and Rivers State. What's important is, are you able to deliver those two states?" he asked. The minister asserted that he would personally take charge of the campaign efforts in both territories, stating emphatically, "Who will be in charge of the Rivers State campaign? Me. Who will be in charge of FCT? Me." This declaration underscores Wike's confidence in his political machinery and his determination to prove that his value to the Tinubu administration extends far beyond any formal appointment.
Wike also used the opportunity to defend his performance as FCT Minister, saying his three years in office had produced visible changes despite challenges. "I'm happy for these three years in office. Our team is committed to doing the job. Challenges have come. We've been able to surmount those challenges," he said. The minister thanked President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, and announced that the FCT Administration would soon publish a comprehensive scorecard of projects, including those inherited from previous administrations and those awarded under the current government. "We're going to publish the projects that we inherited from the government of Olusegun Obasanjo, from 1999 to 2007. We're also going to publish the one of Yar'Adua and Jonathan, and we're also going to publish the one of Muhammadu Buhari. Then when we publish those ones we inherited and completed, we'll also publish projects awarded by this present administration. So Nigerians will see for themselves," he said.
The minister's comments come amid intensifying political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, with parties and political actors beginning to position themselves for the election. Wike's announcement of a massive "Rainbow Coalition" – a multi-party political alliance aligned behind Tinubu's re-election bid – has further signalled his determination to play a pivotal role in the president's campaign, regardless of his formal exclusion from the APC's campaign council. Wike explained that the Rainbow Coalition, which he initiated in Rivers State, brings together political actors across different party platforms and is currently being extended across the country to align strategies ahead of the 2027 general elections. He cited the recent visit of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to his residence as part of efforts to consolidate political forces across party lines, noting that Adeleke, who is a member of the Accord Party, had joined the coalition backing Tinubu.
Wike also took a combative stance against opposition figures, dismissing their influence and warning that they would face continued political pressure. "If they are having high blood pressures, yes, that is my job to make them have high blood pressure," he said, referring to opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. "So, how Atiku feels, how Peter feels, it does not give me any headache. In fact, if I know how they feel, I will add more crises for them." The FCT minister's rhetoric reflects a broader strategy of psychological warfare aimed at demoralising opposition forces and consolidating support for the ruling party.
Wike's declaration that he does not need a role in the APC campaign council to deliver Tinubu's victory is a testament to his political confidence and his belief in the power of grassroots mobilisation over formal titles. As the 2027 elections approach, the FCT minister has made it clear that he will be judged not by the positions he holds, but by the results he delivers. For President Tinubu, Wike's commitment to securing Rivers State and the FCT represents a significant asset in his re-election bid, even as the minister operates outside the formal structures of the APC's campaign machinery. The question now is whether Wike's political machine can deliver on its promises, or whether his exclusion from the campaign council will prove to be a strategic miscalculation. One thing is certain: Nyesom Wike has drawn a line in the sand, and the battle for 2027 has already begun.
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