2027: Adopt Rainbow Coalition model to avoid political violence, Wike urges govs

By Omeiza Ajayi Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has urged state governors supporting the reelection of President Bola Tinubu to emulate his Rainbow Coalition model, saying it has brought political cooperation, peace and stability to the FCT and Rivers State. He spoke on Friday during an interactive engagement with political leaders, traditional rulers, women and youths in Kuje Area Council.

Some APC governors led by Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo State had earlier kicked against the coalition and distanced themselves from its activities. However, the president recently reviewed the composition of his campaign council, incorporating leaders of the coalition and appointing Wike to coordinate his campaigns in Rivers State and the FCT. Wike said the coalition had shown that politicians from different parties could work together in the interest of the people instead of allowing partisan differences to fuel hostility, violence and division.

“If Nigerian politics can come to this level, we will not be hearing about fighting; we will not be seeing ourselves killing one another,” he said. He explained that the arrangement had brought politicians from the All Progressives Congress APC and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP together to pursue shared political objectives despite their differences.

The same model, he added, is being implemented in Rivers State. According to the minister, candidates emerging under the arrangement would enjoy the backing of stakeholders across party lines. He cited former FCT Senator Philip Aduda, saying his support extends beyond the APC to the broader coalition. Wike said the arrangement was meant to encourage inclusive representation and keep office holders accountable to the people.

He cautioned Kuje residents against repeating what he described as a political mistake in the 2023 elections, urging them to prioritise accessibility, accountability and performance when choosing representatives. The minister questioned the relationship between the FCT’s current senator, Ireti Kingibe and the people of the territory, alleging that the incumbent had not adequately engaged communities to understand their challenges.

He contrasted this with Aduda, saying effective representation requires a senator to understand the everyday experiences of the people. “Aduda knows them. Aduda knows when they have problems. Aduda knows when they are sleeping, and Aduda knows when they are crying. That is the essence of representation,” Wike said. He urged residents not to entrust their future to politicians he described as “political gamblers”, insisting that electoral decisions should rest on demonstrable records rather than promises.

He also called for greater political cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections. On infrastructure, Wike assured residents that the road linking the Airport Road–Tipper Garage corridor to Gwagwalada would be completed and commissioned by the end of December. He recalled that traditional rulers in Kuje had named the road a priority during an earlier visit, asking the administration to fix its poor condition before presenting other demands.

The minister said the first phase of the project had been commissioned, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima representing President Bola Tinubu during activities marking the administration’s third anniversary. He urged residents to compare the road’s former condition with its present state, describing the project as part of efforts to improve connectivity and living conditions in the FCT’s satellite communities.

Responding, the Hakimi Agwai, Kuje Area Council, Shuaibu Pada, assured the minister of Kuje’s bloc votes, saying the people would reciprocate his gestures with their votes. He appealed for road construction to be extended to interior communities, including routes connecting Rubochi, Kwali and other neighbouring settlements. The FCT APC Chairman, Tanko Yamawo, commended the administration’s infrastructure programme and political engagement.

He described the willingness of stakeholders from both parties to sit at the same table as a significant development in Kuje’s political environment, adding that improved roads had reduced travel difficulties between Kuje and neighbouring communities. The PDP Chairman in the FCT, Ismael Dogara, said this was the first time campaigns were being held in the FCT without any smashing of cars recorded anywhere, a peace he credited to the unity fostered by the minister.

He said residents who once took to the streets to demand amenities from the Federal Government no longer needed to protest, and that the people were ready to pay Wike back. The Kuje Council Chairman, Samuel Shekwolo, described Wike as a “responsible and giving father” who united indigenous and non-indigenous communities. He said the minister had changed the narrative of young men who believed Kuje was designated only for a prison station because of its lack of development.