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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has rejected claims that the Rainbow Coalition is out to destabilise the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the group is focused on mobilising support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
Wike, who spoke with journalists on Monday after inspecting major infrastructure projects in Abuja, said the coalition had not asked members of any political party to defect or abandon their existing affiliations.
He said its activities were instead aimed at encouraging Nigerians, particularly those outside the APC, to back Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
“The Rainbow Coalition has not gone to anybody to say don’t support anyone. We have only asked our members and like-minded Nigerians who are not APC members to support Mr President,” Wike said.
He argued that such mobilisation could not constitute a threat to the APC, insisting that additional support for the President would ultimately strengthen the party’s electoral prospects.
According to him, similar political alignments existed ahead of the 2023 general election without undermining the APC’s performance at the polls.
“That cannot destabilise the APC. Rather, it gives the party an advantage,” he said.
The minister also dismissed suggestions that his involvement with the coalition was motivated by plans to position himself for the 2031 presidential election.
Wike, who contested the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary in 2022 and finished second, said it was premature to begin discussing the 2031 succession while the immediate political focus remained on the 2027 election.
“By 2031, President Tinubu would have completed his tenure and will naturally have an interest in who succeeds him. Why should I work against whatever direction the President decides? People are simply afraid of their own shadows,” he said.
He reiterated his support for Tinubu’s re-election, saying his position had remained consistent.
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“My concern is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is re-elected for a second term. That has always been my position, and I have made it clear from the beginning that I will support Mr President with all my strength,” Wike said.
The FCT minister also suggested that the criticism surrounding the Rainbow Coalition was being driven by political considerations, promising to provide further details during his scheduled appearance on TVC.
“There are undertones behind all these cries about the Rainbow Coalition. Nigerians don’t know the real reasons, but they will understand everything after today’s interview,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, saying contractors were working towards delivering key projects before the 2027 general election.
During the inspection, he visited the ongoing High Court project, where he commended contractor CGC for the quality of work and expressed confidence that the facility would be completed by December.
He also inspected the Kubwa-Karaduwa road project, including the second bridge, where contractors attributed delays in earthworks to heavy rainfall.
The contractors assured the minister that construction would accelerate once the rains subsided and that the project would remain on course for completion before the elections.
At the Nile University-Ring Road II corridor, Wike commended contractor CCC for increasing the pace of work after earlier concerns over delays.
He said the contractor’s commitment to completing and handing over the project by the first week of January had restored his confidence that the administration’s infrastructure promises to Abuja residents would be met.
“I am very impressed. We are on schedule and on course. The promise made by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be fulfilled before Nigerians go to the general elections,” he said.
Wike said the performance of CGC and CCC so far had strengthened his confidence that residents of the FCT would begin to benefit from the completed projects within the agreed timelines.
