Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has pledged that the Rainbow Coalition will work to deliver President Bola Tinubu a second term in 2027 while backing candidates of both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja elections.
Rainbow Coalition mobilises for 2027 campaign
Speaking at a Rainbow Coalition Movement stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Wike said the group would unite political figures across party lines behind Tinubu’s re-election bid and selected APC and PDP contenders for positions in the Federal Capital Territory.
The meeting took place on Monday at the minister’s official Life Camp residence and assembled a wide-ranging political network, including:
- The PDP national chairman;
- State chairmen of the PDP and APC;
- All six FCT area council chairmen;
- Senate and House of Representatives candidates from the two parties;
- Former National Assembly members; and
- Influential community representatives.
Wike told participants that the purpose of the gathering was to prepare for the 2027 general election, arguing that party affiliation would not prevent the coalition from pursuing a common electoral target.
“This gathering is about the 2027 general election,” he said. “Whether you belong to the PDP or the APC, we will work jointly to produce the same outcome.”
Edo election cited as model for cross-party strategy
The minister pointed to the latest Edo State governorship poll as proof that a coordinated relationship involving APC and legacy PDP figures could produce electoral gains.
He said the Edo outcome had resulted from cooperation between the two political camps and indicated that the same approach would be deployed to return Tinubu and elect APC candidates to the National Assembly.
Wike also linked the coalition’s political agenda to his view of leadership, saying effective leadership depends on the ability to take decisions rather than simply being judged correct.
“Leadership is about having the capacity to decide,” he said. “It is not only a question of being right; genuine leadership rests on the ability to make firm decisions.”
Wike positions himself as campaign operations leader
Presenting himself as the central coordinator of the political arrangement, Wike said he would oversee campaign activity in both the FCT and Rivers State. He told prospective candidates that the barriers that could stand in the way of their victories had already been addressed.
He outlined the coalition’s intended political priorities as follows:
- Providing political support for Tinubu’s administration;
- Securing the president’s re-election in 2027;
- Supporting National Assembly candidates; and
- Backing candidates drawn from both the PDP and APC.
“I invited you here to make it clear that we will be involved in supporting President Tinubu’s government,” Wike said.
He described himself as the coalition’s “field operations officer,” adding that its approach to political organisation would change substantially under his direction.
“We will concentrate on returning President Tinubu and supporting National Assembly candidates,” he said. “We will work for the President and for candidates from the PDP as well as the APC. There is agreement and unity among us, and we have jointly settled on Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our candidate.”
