The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has tackled Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, saying politics is no longer about relying on political calculations to emerge victorious from a distant position, but about genuine grassroots mobilisation and winning at the polling units.
Wike made the remarks while clarifying his position on the 2027 elections and his continued support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister maintained that his support for Tinubu’s re-election should not be interpreted as an agreement that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not field candidates in other elections.
According to Wike, the political landscape has changed, and politicians seeking elective offices must work for the support of voters rather than rely on alliances or political arrangements.
“Politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor, it is about genuinely mobilising support and winning elections from the polling units,” he said.
The statement came amid discussions over Wike’s support for Tinubu and the proposed “rainbow coalition”.
Wike said the coalition had nothing to do with the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it instead as an avenue for members of different political parties who support the President’s re-election to mobilise support for him.
Taking his argument further, Wike questioned the voting pattern in Imo State during the 2023 elections, challenging the narrative that support for Tinubu must automatically translate into support for the APC in other contests.
“In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two Senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it Rainbow Coalition? Were the voters confused?” he asked.
