Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Rainbow Coalition mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election is independent of the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that its loyalty is to the president rather than the ruling party.
Wike’s position marks a distinction between Tinubu’s 2027 presidential ambition and the political interests of the APC, whose governors and other stakeholders have been central to the ruling party’s electoral machinery.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Tuesday, the minister said the coalition was designed to attract supporters from different political parties without requiring them to abandon their affiliations or surrender their interests in state and legislative elections.
“Most importantly, the rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.
Wike dismissed concerns that the arrangement could undermine APC governors or create divisions within the party, maintaining that the coalition’s objective was to secure Tinubu’s return to office in 2027.
He explained that the platform accommodates APC members alongside individuals in other parties who support the president but do not necessarily identify with the ruling party.
According to him, the coalition offers a framework for political actors to cooperate on the presidential election while retaining their separate interests in other contests.
The former Rivers State governor cited political calculations in the Federal Capital Territory as an example, recalling how he encouraged stakeholders to support Tinubu and APC candidates for the National Assembly while allowing political differences to persist at other levels.
He said such flexibility was necessary in a political environment where support for a presidential candidate did not automatically translate into allegiance to the candidate’s party across every electoral contest.
Wike, who coordinates the coalition’s activities in Rivers State and the FCT, argued that the president’s re-election should be pursued through a broad alliance rather than restricted to the APC’s formal membership.
The minister also defended Tinubu’s performance, accusing opposition politicians of portraying the administration negatively for electoral advantage.
“Whether anybody likes it or not, Mr President has done well,” Wike said, insisting that political disagreements should not prevent an objective assessment of the government’s record.
He argued that opposition to an incumbent administration should not mean dismissing every policy or achievement, adding that political competition ought to be based on issues rather than efforts to discredit opponents.
Wike further maintained that politics should not be treated as a do-or-die contest, urging politicians to distinguish legitimate criticism from attacks motivated by the desire to take power.
He cited remarks attributed to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed as an example of how political figures outside the ruling party could acknowledge aspects of Tinubu’s performance.
The minister also challenged politicians seeking public office to account for their past decisions and stewardship of public resources, saying voters should scrutinise candidates rather than rely solely on party labels.
His remarks come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with the Rainbow Coalition emerging as a vehicle for assembling support for Tinubu across party boundaries.
Although Wike played down the possibility of friction with APC governors, his insistence that the coalition operates separately from the ruling party raises a central question about how the president’s re-election campaign will balance a wider support network with the interests of the party seeking to retain power.
For Wike, however, the overriding consideration is Tinubu’s second-term ambition, which he believes should take precedence over partisan boundaries.
