FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has told supporters of President Bola Tinubu to prioritize grassroots mobilization ahead of 2027, saying electoral success will be decided at the ward, LGA and state levels, not by campaign appointments.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday during an inspection of key road projects in Abuja, Wike said the mantra “every politics is local” should guide how Tinubu’s allies approach the next general elections.
“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.
The minister was responding to questions about whether he would accept the role of Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. He said he has no interest in the title, arguing that past DGs like Rotimi Amaechi, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal and Simon Lalong could not secure their home states for their candidates.
“What’s important is that you are able to deliver. 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?” Wike asked.
“I don’t want to lose my state! I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and my state.”
Wike, who is not a member of the APC, said support for Tinubu does not require sitting on the party’s campaign council. He pointed to the 2023 “Rainbow Coalition” that backed the President across party lines and said a similar arrangement will be in play in 2027, with strategies tailored to each state.
“We don’t need to be members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. We are doing our own work,” he said.
‘The projects are the campaign’
The minister said the best campaign material for 2027 is visible performance. He cited ongoing FCT infrastructure as proof of the Tinubu administration’s delivery.
“When people have asked me about campaign, I say, ‘What is campaign? See the campaign!’ Campaign is what have you done for the people? What has the government got to show?”
“It’s not about promises; it’s about really putting in action that things indeed will have a positive impact in the lives of the people.”
During the inspection, Wike visited the Apo-Karshi Road, a project first awarded in 2010 and later terminated by the FCT Administration before being re-awarded to SCC. He said the contractor has assured completion by November and praised SCC for staying on site despite payment delays.
He also inspected the 14km dualisation of the Bwari-Kubwa Satellite Town access road.
“Here we are, it’s Bwari to Kubwa. The dualisation of the satellite town access road, 14 kilometres. I don’t think the people of this area ever dreamed that there’ll be a road here to Kubwa. Again, it’s part of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Wike added that the FCT Administration initially targeted 10 projects for commissioning before the 2027 elections, but the number could rise given current progress.
“Before the election, I gave 10 projects that we commissioned. If care is not taken, it may be more than 10 projects that are very impactful to the economic activities and the lives of the residents of these cities,” he said.
He said the administration remains focused on converting promises into tangible projects for FCT residents.
