Wike Declares Himself Tinubu’s ‘Field Operations Commander’ in FCT, Mobilises APC, PDP for 2027

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared himself the commander of field operations for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in the nation’s capital, signalling a fresh push to unite members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) behind the president.

Wike made the declaration on Monday at a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja attended by APC and PDP leaders, including party chairmen, serving and former senators, National Assembly candidates and political figures from the FCT’s six area councils.

At the meeting, the former Rivers State governor announced plans for a joint mobilisation campaign aimed at securing Tinubu’s re-election and supporting candidates of the ruling APC in National Assembly elections in the FCT.

He urged participants to prioritise the coalition’s shared political objective over their individual party affiliations.

“For the presidency, all of us have agreed that it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am going to coordinate the FCT and Rivers State. So you can imagine how important it is,” Wike said.

“I am in charge of the FCT election. I am the commander of field operations as far as the FCT election is concerned.

“I want to let all of you know that we are going to work together. Nobody should say, ‘I am PDP’ or ‘I am APC.’ For the purpose of this election, we are together.”

Wike’s declaration underscores his continued political alignment with Tinubu despite his membership of the PDP, whose national leadership and political structure remain separate from the ruling APC.

The proposed mobilisation strategy seeks to bring APC and PDP stakeholders together in the FCT to campaign for Tinubu while also backing APC candidates for National Assembly seats.

The Rainbow Coalition meeting therefore presents a political arrangement in which party members are being encouraged to cooperate across party lines in pursuit of a common electoral objective.

However, the extent to which the arrangement will translate into grassroots support and votes across the FCT’s six area councils remains to be seen.

Wike also said he would coordinate political efforts in both the FCT and Rivers State, placing himself at the centre of the coalition’s mobilisation strategy in the two locations.

With the 2027 general election approaching, the alliance could become a significant factor in the contest for the presidency and legislative seats, although its ultimate impact will depend on the coalition’s ability to translate political agreements into electoral support.