Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Rainbow Coalition, insisting that the cross-party political platform will remain in place despite criticism from some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.
Wike made the position known on Tuesday during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja, where he reiterated his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, despite remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Rivers State governor maintained that his commitment was specifically to Tinubu’s second-term ambition and did not extend to endorsing governors seeking re-election.
‘What I’ve said to Nigerians and to Almighty God is, ‘I’m going to support Tinubu for him to realise his second-term ambition.’ I did not promise any governor,’ Wike said.
He challenged anyone with grievances against him to confront him directly rather than using the Rainbow Coalition as a basis for criticism.
Wike cited his support for some APC candidates, including Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, as evidence that his political decisions should not be misrepresented.
‘If you have any problem with me, come out back and face Wike. Don’t go on under the Rainbow Coalition. For the Rainbow Coalition, it has come. It will stay. There’s nothing anybody can do about it,’ he said.
The minister’s remarks come amid growing pressure from some APC governors, who have questioned his continued membership of the PDP while supporting Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling party.
The governors have argued that Wike must either formally join the APC or clarify his political allegiance, insisting that he cannot simultaneously belong to the opposition and mobilise support for the ruling party.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal recently reiterated the position, saying political actors must choose a clear party affiliation rather than support different parties at the same time.
‘Our message is very, very clear: be on one side. You can’t be on two sides,’ Lawal said in an interview with Channels Television’s Inside Sources.
He added that the APC expected support for the party at every level, maintaining that its position on the matter remained unchanged.
The Rainbow Coalition is a cross-party political platform established to mobilise support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign. Wike has consistently maintained that his support for the president does not require him to abandon the PDP.
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