The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, clarifying that he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not field candidates in other elections.

Wike said his commitment was specifically to mobilising support for Tinubu’s presidential bid, while the PDP remains free to contest governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.The minister made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

Wike also dismissed suggestions that the so-called rainbow coalition was an arrangement with the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it instead as a platform for members of different political parties who support Tinubu based on their assessment of his performance.

According to him, he did not meet with the APC before he and other members of the G5 supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, stressing that his position for 2027 remains focused on the President.

He said he would not help individuals win elections in their respective states, arguing that political disputes at the state level should be resolved locally.

“Politics is local and those having problems in their States should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments,” Wike said.

The FCT Minister cited the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states as evidence that voters could support different parties at presidential and legislative levels.

He questioned how the APC won two senatorial seats in Imo State in 2023 despite recording less than 15 per cent of the presidential votes in the state, asking whether such voting patterns could be attributed to the rainbow coalition.

Wike urged political stakeholders to prioritise Tinubu’s presidential re-election before turning their attention to state-level contests.“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President.

I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections,” he said.

He added that the objective of the rainbow coalition was to mobilise support across political parties for Tinubu, whom he said had performed well enough to deserve a second term.