By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ruled out serving as Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying his priority is to deliver Rivers State and the FCT for President Bola Tinubu.
Wike stated this during inspection of Apo/Karish, and Kubwa -Bwari Road projects, saying holding a campaign leadership position was less important to him than securing victory for the President in the states where he has political influence.
The minister spoke while explaining why he had deliberately avoided taking up the position of Director-General of presidential campaigns in previous elections.
According to him, history had shown that several politicians who served as campaign directors-general eventually lost their home states.
He cited the 2015 presidential election, when the then Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, served as Director-General of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign but lost Rivers State.
Wike also recalled that Amaechi, who was Minister of Transportation and again served as campaign DG in 2019, failed to deliver his state.
He similarly cited former President of the senate Bukola Saraki, who served as Director-General of the Atiku Abubakar campaign in 2019 but lost Kwara State and his senatorial seat.
The minister added that former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who headed Atiku’s campaign in 2023, lost his state, while former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who served as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, also lost Plateau State.
Wike, who described politics as local, said anyone seeking a major political position must first demonstrate the ability to deliver at home.
The minister also clarified that his political support for President Tinubu did not depend on membership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
He said although he was not a member of the APC, he and his political allies worked for Tinubu’s emergence in 2023 through their own strategies and political structures.
Wike said the same approach would continue in 2027 through the emerging “Rainbow Coalition,” involving politicians and political groups across different parties working together to support the President.
He cited the example of the Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, who, according to Wike, could support Tinubu at the presidential level while pursuing his own senatorial election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He maintained that membership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council should not be used as the yardstick for determining who would support the President’s re-election bid
Wike further declared that he would remain focused on coordinating the campaign efforts in Rivers State and the FCT, saying, “There’s nothing like the APC Campaign Director in Rivers State election. I’m the one that’s in charge. I’m also the one that’s in charge of FCT.”
The minister said the ultimate objective was to secure victory for Tinubu rather than pursue titles or positions within the campaign structure.
He said, “What’s important is that you are able to deliver those two states. So it’s not about being DG. If you’re DG and you don’t win your state, what’s the essence of the DG?”
“I don’t want to lose my state,” Wike said, stressing that winning one’s home base was more important than holding a campaign title.
“If you cannot deliver the President in your state, how will you say you want an election? If you lose your own state, even if you’re DG, you’ll be ashamed,” he said.
