Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why he could not serve as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election, saying he is not an APC member and does not want to risk losing the states he considers his political strongholds.
Wike spoke on Saturday after inspecting the ongoing Apo-Karshi and Kubwa-Bwari road projects in Abuja, a day after the Presidency announced the composition of the APC campaign council and appointed former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as its Director-General.
Asked if he would have accepted the position, Wike cited previous campaign directors-general who lost their states while leading presidential campaigns.
He recalled that former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, lost the state while serving as Director-General of Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 presidential campaign. He also cited former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who he said lost their respective states after serving in similar campaign roles.
“I don’t want to lose my state! I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and Rivers. What is important is that you are able to deliver those two states. So it is not about being DG,” Wike said.
“If you are DG and you don’t win your state, what is the essence of the DG?” he asked.
‘I am not a member of APC’
Wike also pointed to his non-membership of the APC, saying that made his appointment to the party’s campaign council impossible. However, he reiterated his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“I am not a member of APC. So the issue of their Presidential Campaign Council is out of the question,” he said.
Wike said his support for Tinubu would instead be pursued through the “Rainbow Coalition”, a cross-party arrangement involving politicians who support the President while remaining members of their respective political parties.
He said the coalition would work across states to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.
Wike maintained that electoral performance, rather than campaign positions, would ultimately determine the political strength of different actors after the election. He expressed confidence in his political base while saying the outcome in other states remained uncertain.
The comments came after the Presidency announced Yari as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, with President Tinubu and Vice President President Bola Tinubu named chairman and vice-chairman respectively. Yari has accepted the appointment and pledged to begin work immediately.
