By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has urged residents to avoid repeating what he described as the political mistakes of the 2023 general elections, declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Wike spoke on Thursday at an interactive session organised by the Rainbow Coalition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, where he endorsed former senator Philip Aduda and other candidates under the coalition’s political arrangement.
He cautioned residents against politicians he described as “political gamblers”, urging them to assess leaders by their performance and contributions to development rather than party affiliation.
“The mistake we made in 2023, would we make that mistake again? If it was an error, would we make that error again?” he asked, drawing a negative response from the audience.
Wike said the Rainbow Coalition was established to unite politicians across party lines and advance the interests of FCT residents.
“It doesn't matter the party. After all, party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you are going. When you get there, you come down from the vehicle and you now work for the interest of the people,” he said.
He questioned the impact of Senator Ireti Kingibe’s representation, asking residents whether they felt her presence and whether she had engaged traditional rulers, women and youths to understand their concerns.
Presenting Aduda to the gathering, Wike described him as a politician who understood the needs of FCT residents and urged them to support him.
The minister also attributed ongoing infrastructure development in the territory to Tinubu’s support, arguing that the President’s approval of major projects had enabled the FCT Administration to address longstanding challenges.
He announced that the Gombe-Kubwa road would be ready for use by December.
“By the grace of God, this December, you will do Christmas on this road, Gombe to Kubwa,” he assured residents.
Wike also disclosed that Julius Adamu, the PDP chairmanship candidate in the last Area Council elections, had stepped down in favour of Bwari Area Council Chairman Joshua, describing the decision as a demonstration of political cooperation.
He said he would recommend Adamu for a position in the FCT Universal Basic Education Commission (FCT-UBEC), stressing the need for stakeholders to prioritise collective interests.
Earlier, a Bwari women leader, Deborah Ayorinde, commended Wike’s political intervention but appealed for sustained support for the area council, which she described as long neglected.
“Among the six Area Councils we have in FCT, Bwari Area Council is the most neglected. Your arrival reawakens our hope,” she said.
Ayorinde praised Wike for supporting Joshua’s emergence as chairman and expressed confidence that residents would support Tinubu in 2027. She also appealed for a peaceful electoral process in the area council.
The FCT APC Chairman, Tanko Yamawo, commended Wike for bridging political divisions between the APC and PDP, recalling that party differences had previously discouraged politicians from associating openly.
He said the coalition would benefit political stakeholders across the territory, expressing confidence that Bwari residents would support APC candidates in 2027.
Similarly, the FCT PDP Chairman, Ismaila Dogara, declared that the Rainbow Coalition had come to stay, adding that party members were ready to work together in support of Tinubu.
Dogara urged Wike to convey the expectations of FCT residents to the President, describing the period as an opportunity to reciprocate the administration’s interventions.
Traditional rulers at the meeting commended the minister for ongoing water and road projects but appealed for further infrastructure development in their communities.
The Sarkin Bwari, Alhaji Awwal Musa Ijakoro II, praised projects around Tokulo, Ushafa and the Bwari-Zuba axis, while requesting the rehabilitation of the road linking the Army Checkpoint to central Bwari.
The Esu of Bwari, Dr Ibrahim Yaro, also called for improvements to roads linking Karu, Mpape and neighbouring communities.
In his welcome address, Bwari Area Council Chairman Joshua thanked Wike for his political support, saying ongoing projects across the FCT had strengthened public confidence in the administration.
The meeting formed part of the Rainbow Coalition’s mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with APC and PDP stakeholders united to work together in support of Tinubu and candidates endorsed by the coalition.
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