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Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has said he would not have accepted the position of Director-General of President Bola Tinubu's 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, insisting that his focus is on securing electoral victories for the President in Rivers State and the FCT rather than holding a campaign title.
Wike made the remarks on Saturday while inspecting the Apo-Karshi and Kubwa-Bwari road projects in Abuja, a day after the Presidency unveiled the APC Presidential Campaign Council led by former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.
Explaining his position, the minister argued that previous campaign directors-general had often failed to deliver their home states during presidential elections, citing several examples from past electoral contests.
He recalled that the former Minister of Transport, who headed Muhammadu Buhari's 2015 and 2019 presidential campaigns, lost Rivers State on both occasions. He also pointed to former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who served as Director-General of Atiku Abubakar's 2019 campaign but lost both Kwara State and his Senate seat.
Wike further cited former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who headed the 2023 presidential campaigns of Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu respectively, noting that both failed to secure victories in their states.
According to him, occupying the office of campaign DG means little if the official cannot deliver electoral success in his own state.
"I don't want to lose my state. I have two states to deliver—Rivers and the FCT. If you are a DG and cannot win your state, what is the essence of the position?" he asked.
The minister also stressed that he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), making it inappropriate for him to head the ruling party's campaign organisation.
Despite this, Wike reaffirmed his commitment to Tinubu's re-election, recalling that he supported the President's emergence in 2023 without being a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
He said he would continue working through what he described as a "Rainbow Coalition," comprising politicians from different political parties collaborating to secure Tinubu's victory in their respective states.
Wike maintained that political relevance should be measured by electoral performance rather than campaign appointments, expressing confidence that he would deliver Rivers State while also ensuring strong support for the President in the FCT.
He added that the outcome of the 2027 elections would ultimately determine the political strength of leaders across the country.
