A foundation member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday urged President Bola Tinubu to allow the strategic alliance of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to stand.
Okechukwu said his appeal was based on the political significance and strategic value of Wike’s alliance, which contributed to Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
Reacting to moves by some APC state governors to alienate Tinubu from Wike, his political ally, Okechukwu said the minister could again add considerable value in the 2027 contest.
According to him, the political realignment around Wike has already weakened the influence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar nationwide, adding that the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate is truly a “placeholder” posing no danger.
Okechukwu further argued that, from his political analysis, Wike could ultimately deliver more votes to President Tinubu than some of the APC governors who are currently seeking to distance themselves from him.
He cautioned that some of the governors who are now raising alarm about Wike’s relationship with the President should first examine their own conduct during the APC’s gubernatorial and legislative primaries.
“Some of those who are crying wolf today should remember that the electorate has not forgotten how our great party’s gubernatorial and legislative primaries were conducted in their respective states.
“Where primaries were manipulated, the consequences may eventually come back to haunt the perpetrators.”
Okechukwu said he was particularly encouraged by the fact that there would be three clear weeks between the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the gubernatorial election scheduled for February 6, 2027.
He described the interval as an opportunity for Nigerian voters to assess the performance of both the Federal Government and the state governments, especially against the backdrop of the increased financial allocations accruing to the states.
Okechukwu said: “My happiness is that there is a gap of three good weeks between the January 16, 2027 presidential election and the February 6, 2027 gubernatorial election.
“This gives the Nigerian electorate an opportunity to assess who has delivered commensurate dividends of democracy from the increased resources available to the states.”
The APC chieftain added that the 2027 elections could therefore serve as a referendum on performance, distinguishing political leaders who have translated increased public resources into tangible improvements in the lives of their citizens from those who have not.
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