The Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has said that his major concern is how to win Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for President Bola Tinubu at the polls.
Wike, who disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja after inspecting some road projects, stated that he would have declined to be Director General of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) Presidential Campaign Council because he is not a member of that party.
He also noted that his priority for now is to mobilise more people into the national rainbow coalition to boost Tinubu’s electoral advantage.
“I am not a member of the APC,” Wike said.
He explained that his decision was informed by the experience of previous campaign directors-general who, despite occupying prominent positions, were unable to deliver their home states to their presidential candidates.
Wike cited the cases of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong.
“In 2015, the Minister of Transport (Rotimi Amaechi) was the governor of Rivers State. He was the DG of Muhammadu Buhari. Before you know it, I pulled the carpet off his feet. He lost. He didn’t get 25 per cent,” Wike said.
“In 2019, he was Minister of Transport. He became the DG. He lost the state too.”
He similarly recalled Saraki’s role as Director-General of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign in 2019 and Tambuwal’s position as campaign DG in 2023, noting that both failed to deliver their states.
“In 2023, Aminu Tambuwal became DG of Atiku. He lost his state. In the same 2023, Lalong was the DG of the President. He lost his state,” he said.
Wike said his priority was therefore to concentrate on the political terrain where he could make a difference, particularly Rivers State and the FCT.
“I don’t want to lose my state. I will be in my state. I have two states, FCT and Rivers State. What’s important is, are you able to deliver those two states?” he asked.
The Minister argued that political success should be judged by electoral performance rather than titles or positions within campaign structures.
“It’s not about being the DG. If you’re a DG, you don’t win your state for yourself. What is the success of the DG?” Wike said.
“Every politician is local. If you cannot deliver the president in your state, how would you say you want an election?”
He said losing one’s state while serving as a presidential campaign DG should raise questions about the effectiveness of the campaign leadership.
“If you lose your own state, even if you’re a DG, you should be ashamed,” he said.
Wike also used the opportunity to defend his performance as FCT Minister, saying his three years in office had produced visible changes despite the challenges encountered.
