FCT minister rallies political leaders, traditional rulers, women and youths behind president, promises campaign council inauguration next week….
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that the nation’s capital is set to deliver victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, following a growing alliance among political stakeholders across party lines.
Wike made the declaration in Abuja on Wednesday during a meeting with political leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The gathering brought together party executives, traditional rulers, women groups and youth representatives, with participants expressing support for greater political cooperation ahead of the next general election.
Describing the meeting as one of his happiest moments, Wike said political differences should no longer stand in the way of collective efforts to develop the FCT.
The minister, who coordinates the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the FCT and Rivers State, said the growing cooperation among political actors reflected a shift from the divisions that had characterised previous election seasons.
He also credited the Tinubu administration with addressing longstanding infrastructural challenges in the territory, arguing that previous governments had failed to adequately integrate communities into the FCT’s development plans.
According to him, the administration has made significant progress in infrastructure delivery, pointing to the Apo-Karshi Road project, which he said had remained stalled for 16 years before the current government intervened.
Wike also highlighted what he described as efforts to promote inclusion in governance, including the elevation of career civil servants to permanent secretary and head-of-service positions, as well as the establishment of dedicated secretariats for women and youths.
On the country’s economic situation, the minister defended the removal of the fuel subsidy, describing it as a difficult but necessary decision that previous administrations had been unwilling to implement.
“Every president said it was a scam, but nobody had the courage to say it would go. That is the pain we will endure till we get it right,” he said.
Wike further argued that increased statutory allocations to states and local governments had strengthened their financial capacity, reducing the need for governors to rely heavily on commercial bank loans to fund projects.
He urged residents, particularly young people, to support what he described as proven leadership rather than alternatives he accused of offering little beyond repeated election campaigns.
The minister also disclosed that the comprehensive campaign council would be inaugurated the following week, assuring party stakeholders that the necessary logistical arrangements for the 2027 election had been secured.
He called on eligible voters to turn out with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote for Tinubu and other APC candidates.
APC, PDP Leaders Pledge Cooperation
The meeting also featured declarations of support from party leaders who said political rivalries in the FCT were gradually giving way to cooperation in pursuit of development and electoral success.
The FCT Chairman of the APC, Ishaku Yamawo, praised Wike for what he described as changes to both the physical landscape and political atmosphere of the capital.
Yamawo recalled that political differences had previously strained relationships among residents and even family members during election periods.
“Before now, when elections were approaching, some of us didn’t talk to our own brothers because they were in the other party.
“Today, we are sitting under the same roof for APC and PDP because somebody has changed the narrative of politics. A political party is not a barrier to partnering with your brother for victory and progress,” he said.
He also commended Tinubu for addressing concerns raised by FCT indigenes, particularly through the appointment of an indigene as a minister and infrastructure projects aimed at connecting indigenous communities.
Yamawo specifically mentioned communities such as Gishiri and Guzape, noting that road construction, improved access and compensation had helped address some of the longstanding grievances of residents.
In a similar vein, the FCT PDP Chairman, Mohammed Dogara, said the longstanding hostility between the two parties was giving way to a more cooperative political relationship.
Using an analogy to describe the changing atmosphere, Dogara said political opponents who once struggled to coexist were now willing to work together.
“It used to be cats and rats, not seeing themselves in the day or night. But today, cats and rats can eat on the same plate,” he said.
Dogara attributed the shift to the emphasis on infrastructure development under Wike’s leadership, questioning why residents of the FCT should oppose the president when development remained a common priority.
“What reason do we have as FCT indigenes and non-indigenes to say we are not going to support Mr President? No reason,” he added.
He further pledged that the PDP structure in the territory would mobilise at the grassroots level in support of Tinubu by January 16, 2027, urging traditional rulers and community leaders to encourage their people to embrace development.
Traditional Rulers, Youths and Women Back Campaign
The District Head of Jikoyi, Nicodemus Marchi, also praised Wike’s tenure, comparing the minister’s arrival in the FCT to a cool breeze that brought renewed stability and progress.
Marchi commended the minister for addressing security concerns and resuscitating road projects that had remained abandoned for years.
He also cited the upgrading of traditional rulers, including the elevation of some second-class chiefs to first-class status, describing it as a significant development after nearly three decades of neglect.
Representing the youths, the Chairman of the FCT Gbagyi Youth Forum, AMAC Chapter, Musa Jeji, declared the group’s readiness to mobilise support for Tinubu across the territory.
Jeji said organised youth associations in the various council wards were prepared to participate in the campaign and work towards the president’s re-election.
Former FCT APC Women Leader, Hilmary Aipoh, also commended Wike for establishing the Women Affairs Secretariat and improving rural roads, which she said would help farmers and rural communities.
She described AMAC’s 1,400 polling units as a crucial battleground in the FCT’s political calculations ahead of the 2027 election.
Aipoh urged Wike to ensure that women were adequately represented in the campaign structure, stressing the importance of their participation in grassroots mobilisation.
The meeting ended with renewed calls for cooperation among political stakeholders, as APC and PDP leaders, traditional rulers and community representatives pledged to work together ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
