Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, has said the opposition to his Rainbow Coalition project from the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, has nothing to do with the coalition destabilising the All Progressives Congress (APC), promising to lay bare the real reasons behind the criticism during a television appearance later on Monday.
Wike, who is the leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke on Monday while responding to questions from journalists during an inspection tour of ongoing road projects in the FCT.
Pressed on suggestions that the Rainbow Coalition was a vehicle to position himself ahead of the 2031 presidential election, the minister appeared to point to the succession question as the actual source of tension within the All Progressives Congress (APC), even while dismissing the timing as premature.
He said, “People take the position of God. First of all, you have to pray that you are alive. You must ask God, ‘Keep me alive till tomorrow. God, keep me alive till the next day.’ When God keeps you alive, then you now know what to do. How can you sit now and start planning about 2030, 31?
“So, God is the one who says what will be. If one is alive, then you begin to see what we will do. In any case, what is wrong assuming that I am positioning myself? But that is not correct. But you will hear the full details today about all this cries about the Rainbow Coalition.
“I have always said, mind you, too, that by 2031, as a sitting president, he will not be running. So, the president must also have interest on who will succeed him. And will I be at loggerheads with what the president is talking about? But people don’t understand. They are just afraid of their shadows, not me,” Wike said.
He added that his own political standing made him a natural factor in that conversation. “First of all, you should know that I ran presidential primary in 2022, and I came second. If not for what happened, I would have emerged. So, I know this country very well. I am a politician of this country. I know the conspiracy of people, you know. So, am I positioning myself? In which of the parties am I positioning myself?” he queried.
Asked directly to react to the criticisms from within the Progressive Governors Forum and allegations that he was trying to destabilise the APC, Wike maintained that his stated priority remained Tinubu’s re-election rather than any personal ambition, while promising a fuller explanation later in the day.
“Today I will be on TVC by 5pm to 7pm Probably Nigerians will hear me very well when I answer it. Just what I want to let you know: my concern is how the President will be re-elected for a second term. That is my concern. And I have made that known from the outset that I was going to support Mr President with all my might and strength.
“I am not bothered about accusations, but you see, it is very disappointing to hear some people say the Rainbow Coalition will destabilise their party. I don’t understand from which angle that will be. But just hear me very well today. This is an opportunity for Nigerians to tune in, and we will let Nigerians know what is really behind all these so-called cries about Rainbow Coalition.
“You will hear the full details today of why all this cry about Rainbow Coalition. I will tell you, and Nigerians will be shocked when they hear the full details about the so-called Rainbow Coalition. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag now, so just hold your breath,” he said.
The minister insisted that the coalition had not instructed anyone to withdraw support for any candidate, stressing that its position was limited to encouraging non-APC members to back the president, and drew a comparison with the G5 governors’ bloc in the 2023 election cycle.
“It is not correct. I mean, we have not gone to anybody to say, ‘Don’t support anybody.’ We said all our party members, all those like-minds who are not APC members, to please ensure that they support Mr. President. This is not the first time, first of all, in 2023 when it was G5, right?,” he asked.
