The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why he turned down the possibility of serving as Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign, saying his priority is to secure victory for the President in Rivers State and the FCT.
Wike made this known on Saturday while speaking with journalists after inspecting the Apo-Karshi and Kubwa-Bwari roads in Abuja.
His comments came a day after the Presidency announced the composition of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election, with former Zamfara State Governor and serving senator, Abdulaziz Yari, appointed as Director-General.
Wike said he had no interest in taking the campaign DG position because he does not belong to the APC and does not want the responsibility to distract him from his political base.
The minister recalled the experiences of some politicians who previously headed presidential campaigns but failed to secure their home states for their candidates.
He referred to former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong as examples.
According to Wike, Amaechi served as campaign DG for Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019 but lost Rivers State during those elections. He also noted that Saraki, who led Atiku Abubakar’s campaign in 2019, lost Kwara State and his own Senate seat.
Wike further recalled that Tambuwal headed Atiku’s campaign in 2023 but lost Sokoto State, while Lalong, who served as the APC campaign DG that year, also failed to deliver Plateau State.
The minister said he did not want to find himself in a similar situation, stressing that winning in his political base was more important to him than holding a top campaign position.
He said his immediate concern was to work for the success of Tinubu in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, which he described as the two areas where he has political responsibilities.
Wike also made it clear that he remains outside the APC despite his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He explained that his support for the President could continue without joining the APC or becoming a member of its presidential campaign council.
The FCT minister recalled that during the 2023 election, politicians from different parties worked together to support Tinubu without necessarily joining the APC campaign structure.
He said a similar arrangement could be used in 2027 through the political coalition known as the Rainbow Coalition, with different political interests working together in selected states while retaining their identities within their respective parties.
Wike also argued that political strength should be measured by electoral results rather than the position a politician holds in a campaign council.
He maintained that the outcome of the 2027 elections would show which political leaders and groups were capable of delivering votes for their candidates.
The minister’s position comes as the APC begins preparations for the 2027 presidential election after Tinubu formally constituted the party’s campaign council.
Yari, who was named Director-General of the council, has already accepted the appointment and pledged to begin preparations for the election immediately.
Wike, however, said he would remain focused on his own political activities and would not allow the search for a campaign position to take attention away from the states and territory where he intends to deliver electoral support for Tinubu.