Wike's Controversial New Role Ignites Political Firestorm

Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, is slated to become the coordinator for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign structure in Rivers State and the FCT. This significant development, according to sources, indicates Wike will retain his membership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while taking on the responsibility of mobilizing support for Tinubu in these two key territories. Wike has consistently maintained that he does not need to formally join the All Progressives Congress (APC) or serve as the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council to effectively support Tinubu’s re-election, asserting his primary focus is on delivering Rivers and the FCT for the president.

This proposed structure has emerged amidst ongoing disagreements between Wike and several APC governors regarding the optimal way to organize support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections. The arrangement is designed to provide senior political figures with distinct areas of responsibility, thereby avoiding a single, unified chain of command for all campaign officials. Former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari is expected to be named the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council. Notably, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau are not anticipated to report to Yari under this new framework. Furthermore, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo, who previously held spokesperson and communications roles in Tinubu’s 2023 and Buhari’s 2019 campaigns, is being considered for a spokesperson role.

Wike has openly branded himself as the “General Commander of the Political Infantry” in Rivers and the FCT, emphasizing his authority irrespective of his gubernatorial status. He has also championed a “Rainbow Coalition,” a cross-party alliance mechanism allowing politicians from various parties to support Tinubu for president while simultaneously backing candidates of their choice in state and other elections. However, this initiative has been met with firm rejection by the Progressives Governors Forum. The forum’s chairman, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, declared that the governors would not endorse any alliance or political arrangement that could potentially weaken the APC or negatively impact its candidates at any level. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is also among those in disagreement with Wike’s proposed strategy.

In response to Wike’s appointment, Isaac Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, publicly mocked the APC. In a video shared on his verified Facebook page, Fayose claimed that the APC is already in a state of confusion regarding the 2027 general elections. He asserted that the APC’s recent political maneuvers, including Wike’s new role, would fail to undermine the momentum or electoral prospects of the “Obidients” or the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Fayose confidently predicted Wike’s defeat in both Rivers and Abuja, stating that the