By Chukwudi Obasi
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned governors opposing the Rainbow Coalition in their states that he will confront their actions after the 2027 presidential election, declaring that his immediate priority is to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike, who spoke during his monthly media parley on Thursday, said he was deliberately holding back from making further political declarations until after the presidential contest, but warned that those resisting the coalition would have to answer for their actions.
“Today, I’m not talking because we want the presidential election to be over. By the time the presidential election is over, I will speak out. Everything has its own time,” he said.
The Rainbow Coalition is a political alignment involving members of different parties who support Tinubu’s re-election while retaining their party identities and backing their preferred candidates in other elections.
Wike also dismissed claims that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had been excluded from the coalition’s decisions, arguing that his public unveiling of its governorship candidate demonstrated his involvement.
“For somebody to come out and publicly unveil the governorship candidate, yet you are saying he is not involved?” he queried.
On Fubara’s political future and the possibility of securing another political position after leaving office, Wike said the governor still had opportunities ahead of him.
“Fubara is a young man whom God has blessed to be a Governor. As far as you are alive, you have hope,” he said.
*Dismisses ASUU protest over UniAbuja land reallocation
The minister also rejected the strike threat by the University of Abuja chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s decision to reallocate portions of the institution’s land.
Dismissing the union’s opposition, Wike maintained that land administration was the responsibility of the FCTA and insisted that the government would not reverse its decision because of threats of industrial action.
“What is the business of ASUU about land? How do you claim that a university has over 30,000 hectares of land? I’m not intimidated by this blackmail. They have gone to court, and we said we will meet in court,” he said.
The dispute followed a warning by ASUU Chairman, University of Abuja chapter, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, that the union could no longer guarantee industrial harmony on the campus unless the minister reversed the land allocations.
Ugoh said the university was originally allocated 11,824 hectares in the Guri District of the FCT, describing the land as critical to its future expansion, agricultural research and infrastructure development. The union had protested the allocation of portions of the property to private developers and government agencies.
However, Wike argued that the FCTA had a responsibility to enforce land-use regulations and ensure compliance with the FCT master plan. He also questioned the university’s retention of large portions of land without what he considered adequate development.
The minister urged the union to allow the court to determine the dispute rather than resorting to threats of industrial action while pursuing legal action.
Wike also defended the revised fees for advertising billboards in the FCT, rejecting allegations that the increase was designed to disadvantage opposition parties and benefit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He described the adjustment as a commercial decision aimed at raising revenue for infrastructure and education.
“It’s not correct to say that the fee was raised simply because it is you. We want money to do more roads and improve schools,” he said, adding that billboard spaces were allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
On the controversy surrounding the Imo West senatorial ticket, Wike denied having any involvement in the court decision affecting Governor Hope Uzodimma’s political ambition, describing attempts to link him to the matter as mischievous.
“Anybody calling my name is being mischievous. I didn’t go to court, and I’m not in the APC. As it is today, my priority is to ensure that Mr President emerges victorious in the 2027 presidential elections,” he said.
The minister also acknowledged that the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had damaged the party’s political fortunes, saying it needed to reassess its strategy and plan for the future.
“The PDP crisis affected us, the damage has been done, we need to go back and strategize and plan again for the future,” he said.
Wike further claimed that the Court of Appeal had affirmed the legally recognised leadership of the PDP, maintaining that those challenging the party’s leadership had lost their cases at the Federal High Court and the appellate court.
Despite his political engagements, the minister assured FCT residents that infrastructure development would remain a priority.
He listed the Inner Southern Expressway, Southern Parkway, Tungan Madaki-Zuba Road and Kubwa-Bwari Road among projects nearing completion.
“So, while I’m doing my politics, my eyes are also on the projects. I don’t need to carry a camera, because I’m not the Minister of Works or the Governor of television to see. I’m doing the work, and the work is almost completed,” he said.
