The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that his support in the upcoming FCT Area Council elections will be reserved exclusively for candidates who back President Bola Tinubu, signaling a de facto endorsement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 21 polls.
Speaking at a birthday event in Abuja on Saturday, the Minister made it clear that his political loyalty to the President transcends traditional party lines and will dictate whom he backs in the local government elections.
โWe have the FCT Area Council election coming up on February 21 and I have a duty to support any candidate that supports President Tinubu to win. It is also my duty to ensure that any candidate that is not supporting Tinubu does not win in the election, and I owe no apology on my stand”, Wike stated.
While the Minister did not explicitly name the APC, his condition for support directly aligns with the ruling partyโs interests, effectively throwing his weight behind APC candidates in the FCT.
The statement is a significant intervention in the local polls by the Minister, who is the chief administrator of the territory.
Wike, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before his appointment to the FCT ministry by President Tinubu, a member of the APC, has been a vocal supporter of the current administration. He reiterated on Saturday that he owes no one an apology for his decision to back Tinubu.
The Minister made these remarks during the 60th birthday celebration of Senator Sandy Onor, a former lawmaker representing Cross River Central. Wike praised the celebrant as a โcredible allyโ and a โtrustworthy friend,โ promising to stand by him.
The event was attended by several political heavyweights, including former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, former Abia State Governor and Ambassador-designate Okezie Ikpeazu, and former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN). In a show of support for the celebrant, Wike and his friends donated N50 million to launch a book written in honour of Senator Onor.
The FCT Area Council elections are scheduled to hold on February 21, 2026.
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