Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he cannot be in the Campaign Council for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu because he is not a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike said this after inspecting some ongoing projects in the FCT, on Saturday.
The minister stressed that campaign council membership doesn’t equal victory.
According to him, political relevance in presidential elections hinges entirely on a politician’s ability to win their states, local governments, and wards.
Stressing that “every politics is local”, Wike urged politicians across party lines to focus on grassroot voter mobilisation for Tinubu rather than fighting for positions in campaign councils.
He dismissed the notion that non-membership in the APC Presidential Campaign Council restricts key political actors from securing electoral victories for the president.
Drawing from recent political history, he highlighted prominent figures who served as Directors-General (DG) of presidential campaign councils but failed to deliver their home states:
“Rotimi Amaechi served as DG for Muhammadu Buhari’s campaigns in 2015 and 2019 but failed to secure Rivers
“Bukola Saraki led Atiku Abubakar’s campaign council in 2019 as DG but lost both Kwara and his senatorial seat.
“Aminu Tambuwal served as DG for Atiku Abubakar in 2023 and lost Sokoto State.
“Simon Lalong headed the APC Presidential Campaign Council as DG in 2023 but failed to deliver Plateau.
“If you are DG and you don’t win your state, what is the essence of the DG? If you lose your own state, even if you are DG, you will be ashamed. When you say you won, people will ask: ‘Why didn’t you win in your own state?”
The FCT minister explained that political alliances extend beyond formal party structures, pointing to a cross-party “Rainbow Coalition” working across several states, including Bayelsa, Benue, and Kwara, to support the presidency regardless of formal campaign appointments.
Citing the G-5 movement’s role during the 2023 elections, Wike emphasised that key political players could work through independent structures to secure regional success.
“I am not a member of the APC, so I cannot be in the Presidential Campaign Council. We had our own strategies on how the presidency would emerge.
In the rainbow coalition, we don’t need to be members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. We are doing our own work,” he said.
Wike assured that both the FCT and Rivers remain firmly under his political stewardship to ensure victory for the presidency.
“What is important is: are you able to deliver those two states? Who will be in charge of the Rivers State campaign? Me. Who will be in charge of FCT? Me,” he affirmed. (NAN)
