2027: Ensure Victory For Tinubu In Your Wards, LGs, States, Wike Charges Stakeholders

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has charged political stakeholders supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to work for his victory at the ward, local government and state levels, insisting that “every politics is local.”

Wike gave the charge on Saturday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of ongoing projects in Abuja, where he also explained why he would not seek the position of Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

The minister said supporters of the President should focus less on campaign titles and positions and more on delivering electoral victories in their respective political bases.

“Every politics is local. If you cannot deliver the president in your state, how will you say you want an election? If you lose your own state, even if you’re DG, you’ll be ashamed,” Wike said.

He added: “What’s important is that you are able to deliver those two states? So it’s not about being DG. If you’re DG and you don’t win your state, what’s the essence of the DG?”

Wike said he would rather concentrate on his political base than seek a prominent position in the presidential campaign structure, recalling that some politicians who previously served as campaign directors-general failed to deliver their home states to their candidates.

He cited former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and former Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, among others.

“I don’t want to lose my state! I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and my state,” he said.

The FCT minister, who reiterated that he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said his support for President Tinubu would not necessarily require membership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

According to him, political forces that supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election operated through what he described as a “Rainbow Coalition” across different states.

“We don’t need to be members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. We are doing our own work,” he said.

Wike said the same coalition of political interests would play a role in the 2027 elections, noting that political arrangements would vary from state to state.

The minister also said the infrastructure projects being executed across the FCT were themselves evidence of the performance of the Tinubu administration and would constitute a strong campaign message ahead of 2027.

“When people have asked me about campaign, I say, ‘What is campaign? See the campaign!’ Campaign is what have you done for the people? What has the government got to show?” Wike said.

“It’s not about promises; it’s about really putting in action that things indeed will have a positive impact in the lives of the people.”

Wike spoke while inspecting the Apo-Karshi Road and the 14-kilometre dualisation of the Buhari-Kubwa Satellite Town access road.

He described the Apo-Karshi Road as a long-standing project inherited by the present administration, explaining that the contract was originally awarded in 2010.

According to him, the FCT Administration terminated the previous contract because of the importance of the road and complaints from residents before awarding it to SCC.

“The Apo-Karshi road has been a topical issue. That was a road that was awarded in 2010 as one of those projects that Mr. President inherited,” he said.

Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of work by SCC and said the contractor had indicated that the project would be completed by November.

He also commended the company for sustaining work despite payment challenges, saying the contractor had demonstrated confidence in the administration’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations.

On the Bwari-Kubwa road, Wike said the 14-kilometre dualisation was another major infrastructure intervention designed to improve connectivity and economic activities in the satellite towns.

“Here we are, it’s Bwari to Kubwa. The dualisation of the satellite town access road, 14 kilometres. I don’t think the people of this area ever dreamed that there’ll be a road here to Kubwa. Again, it’s part of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

Wike said the FCT Administration was targeting the completion and commissioning of several major projects before the 2027 elections.

He disclosed that although he had earlier promised 10 projects, the number could increase because of the pace of work on several ongoing projects.

“Before the election, I gave 10 projects that we commissioned. If care is not taken, it may be more than 10 projects that are very impactful to the economic activities and the lives of the residents of these cities,” he said.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of work across the inspected sites, saying the administration was determined to ensure that promises made to residents were translated into tangible projects.