By Philip Yatai
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has announced the emergence of a massive Rainbow Coalition, a multi-party political alliance, aligned behind President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja after inspection of ongoing projects, Wike addressed the recent high-level political realignments, including Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun’s visit to his residence on Thursday.
Wike explained that the late-night meeting with Adeleke aimed at consolidating political forces across party lines, noting that key figures were setting aside partisan affiliations to back Tinubu.
“Adeleke was a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but because of internal wranglings, and for him to be able to secure a ticket to run for a second term, he had to find a platform and that platform happened to be the Accord Party.
“What happened last night is a meeting to rebuild a larger Rainbow Coalition. Adeleke is supporting Mr President. He’s in a different party, I’m supporting Mr President, I’m in a different party.
“In the next few weeks, watch what is going to happen. You will see the emergence of a larger Rainbow Coalition in this country supporting Mr President,” the minister said.
He explained that the rainbow coalition, which he initiated, brings together political actors across different party platforms in Rivers and is currently being extended across the country to align strategies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing opposition figures who claimed influence over the recent electoral outcome in Osun, Wike asserted that those attempting to “harvest where they never planted” have been left with nothing.
The minister took direct aim at leading opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and PDP chieftain Dele Momodu, arguing that internal crises have rendered opposition platforms powerless.
“That’s why I said this election is concluded before it even begins, and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.
“When you say ‘leading opposition,’ I’ve told you that there’s no opposition in this country. Ordinarily, it should have been PDP, but because of the crisis, we’re not. You can’t see a formidable party that you will call the leading opposition party,” he said.
Wike expressed zero sympathy for political rivals saying, “If they are having high blood pressures, yes, that is my job to make them have high blood pressure.
“So, I don’t care, whatever they feel is not my business. I don’t want them to feel well. It’s not my wish that they should feel well. My business is to make them not to feel well all day.
“If they are having high blood pressures, yes, that is my job, to make them have high blood pressure. I am not here to make them happy. No, no, no.
“You see, when you are having a contest with somebody, your business is not to make him feel well. Your business is to make sure that you beat him thoroughly so that he will be sick all through and that’s what we are doing to them.
“So, how Atiku feels, how Peter feels, it does not give me any headache. In fact, if I know how they feel, I will add more crises for them,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba