The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged other states to adopt the Rainbow Coalition model, saying it has promoted peace, political stability and cooperation among rival parties in the territory and Rivers State.
He said the arrangement had brought leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) together to pursue common interests, demonstrating that political differences should not breed violence or hostility.
Wike spoke during an interactive engagement with political leaders, traditional rulers, women and youths in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
‘If Nigerian politics can come to this level, we will not be hearing about fighting; we will not be seeing ourselves killing each other,’ he said.
The minister said the coalition had created an atmosphere in which politicians from different parties could work together, adding that the approach was also being implemented in Rivers State.
He maintained that the arrangement would promote inclusive representation and ensure that candidates received support across party lines.
Wike cited former FCT Senator Philip Aduda as an example of a politician whose support base extended beyond one party, stressing that effective representation required leaders to remain accessible to their constituents.
He urged Kuje residents to learn from the 2023 elections and make informed choices ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying voters should prioritise performance, accessibility and accountability over political promises.
The minister criticised what he described as inadequate engagement between the incumbent senator and constituents, contrasting it with Aduda’s relationship with the people.
‘Aduda knows them. Aduda knows when they have problems. Aduda knows when they are sleeping, and Aduda knows when they are crying. That is the essence of representation,’ he said.
Wike cautioned residents against entrusting their future to politicians he described as ‘political gamblers’, urging them to assess candidates based on their records and commitment to the people.
On infrastructure, the minister promised that the road project linking the Airport Road-Tipper Garage corridor to Gwagwalada would be completed and commissioned by the end of December.
He recalled that traditional rulers in Kuje had identified the road as a priority during an earlier visit, urging the administration to address its poor condition.
Wike said the first phase of the project had been commissioned, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima representing President Bola Tinubu during activities marking the administration’s third anniversary.
‘Let me assure you, to the glory of God, by the end of December, we will also commission the one that leads to Gwagwalada,’ he said.
He urged residents to compare the road’s previous condition with its present state, describing the project as part of efforts to improve connectivity and living conditions in satellite communities.
The Hakimi Agwai of Kuje Area Council, Shuibu Pada, assured the minister of the area’s support, promising that residents would reciprocate the administration’s interventions through their votes.
He, however, appealed for the extension of road construction to interior communities, including routes linking Rubochi, Kwali and neighbouring settlements.
Pada said that while ongoing projects had improved access along major corridors, communities outside those routes also needed government attention.
Earlier, Senator Jibrin Wowo declared support for Tinubu and the APC, saying political stakeholders in Kuje had consulted and agreed to back the party in the forthcoming elections.
He said the consultations involved women, youths, elderly residents and traditional rulers, adding that the community was prepared to demonstrate its appreciation of the administration’s interventions at the polls.
‘Honourable Minister, I want to assure you that we in Kuje Area Council have sat down and agreed that Kuje people are going to vote APC from top to bottom,’ Wowo said.
The FCT APC Chairman, Tanko Yamawo, commended the administration’s infrastructure programme and political engagement, saying the coalition had encouraged leaders of the APC and PDP to work together.
He described the willingness of rival political stakeholders to sit at the same table as a significant development in Kuje’s political environment.
Yamawo added that improved roads had reduced travel difficulties between Kuje and neighbouring communities.
The FCT PDP Chairman, Ismael Dogora, also praised Wike, saying the coalition had reduced political hostility and created an atmosphere of unity.
He said the current political campaign season had been different from previous exercises, with no reported incidents of cars being smashed, attributing the development to the minister’s efforts to unite political stakeholders.
Dogora said the administration had addressed some demands that previously prompted protests by residents, adding that the people were prepared to reciprocate through their support.
The Kuje women leader, Aishatu Yakubu, commended the administration for recognising women’s role in political mobilisation but called for greater inclusion of women in governance and decision-making.
She also appealed for more road projects to benefit communities across the area council.
Also, the Kuje Area Council Chairman, Samuel Shekwolo, praised Wike for bringing indigenous and non-indigenous communities in the FCT under one political umbrella.
He said the minister had changed the narrative of underdevelopment in Kuje, where some young people previously felt the area was known mainly for its prison because of inadequate infrastructure.
Shekwolo said the political landscape had changed significantly, with members of the ruling party and opposition now working together.
He urged residents to honour their commitments at the polls on January 16, 2027, by supporting Tinubu, Aduda and Dablandi Chiya.
He said the administration’s interventions had given the people reasons to support the coalition and sustain the prevailing political cooperation.