Why I’m Not Tinubu’s Campaign DG – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has clarified that taking up the position of Director General for President Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign was out of the question because he does not belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Wike made this disclosure on Saturday during an inspection tour of the Apo-Karshi and Kubwa-Bwari infrastructure projects in Abuja, noting that he also wanted to avoid the historical political pitfall of campaign directors losing their home states.

The presidency recently unveiled the structure of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, naming former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari as the director general.

Addressing inquiries regarding whether he desired a spot on the council, Wike maintained that alignment with the president’s re-election does not necessitate holding an official APC campaign office, pointing to past electoral cycles where previous campaign heads failed to deliver their respective territories.

“In 2015, the Minister of Transport was the governor of Rivers State. He was the DG of Muhammadu Buhari. Before you knew, I pulled the carpet off his feet. He lost. He didn’t get 25 percent,” Wike stated.

Recalling subsequent election cycles, he added, “In 2019, he was Minister of Transport, he became the DG, and he lost his state too. Bukola Saraki was the DG of Atiku campaign in 2019. He was running around doing ‘Atikulated’. I called him, ‘Why are you doing Atikulated? Go home!’ He lost his state! Lost his own seat, too! In 2023, Aminu Tambuwal became DG of Atiku. He lost his state!”

Emphasizing his determination to avoid a similar fate, the minister explained that his primary objective centers on securing total victory within his operational base rather than holding a titular campaign title.

“I don’t want to lose my state! I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and Rivers. What is important is that you are able to deliver those two states. So it is not about being DG,” he remarked.

He further stressed his non-member status in the ruling party, explaining that his backing for President Tinubu functions through a cross-party framework termed the Rainbow Coalition.

“I am not a member of APC. So the issue of their Presidential Campaign Council is out of the question. When we were fighting for the President to be president in 2023, we were not members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, but we were fighting. So, we had our own strategies on how the president would emerge,” Wike explained.

According to the FCT minister, the collaborative multi-party arrangement coordinates efforts across multiple regions including Kwara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Osun, and Benue to ensure victory.

Concurrently, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing road developments in the capital territory, assuring residents that the Apo-Karshi and Kubwa-Bwari projects will be completed before the end of the year.