2027: Wike Mobilises Bwari Voters For Tinubu, Aduda, Gabaya

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on residents of Bwari area council to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and candidates endorsed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

Wike made the appeal on Thursday during an interactive session with APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Bwari, where he urged residents to judge political leaders by their performance and commitment to addressing the needs of their communities.

The minister specifically canvassed support for Tinubu for president, John Gabaya for the House of Representatives and Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda for the FCT senatorial seat, describing their candidacies as part of a broader political arrangement aimed at consolidating support for the President.

He urged the people to learn from their voting decisions in the 2023 elections, questioning whether they would repeat what he described as a mistake.

“The mistake we made in 2023, will we make that mistake again?” he asked.

Wike challenged residents to assess the performance of the senator representing the FCT, particularly in engaging communities, women and youths and responding to their concerns.

He argued that political leaders should be judged by their accessibility and tangible contributions rather than party affiliations.

According to him, the Rainbow Coalition, which brings together political stakeholders from different parties, was intended to promote cooperation in the interest of the people.

“Party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you are going. When you get there, you drop down from the vehicle and you now work for the interest of the people,” he said.

The minister attributed infrastructure projects and other interventions in the FCT to the support of President Tinubu, insisting that the President’s approvals had enabled his administration to deliver on its commitments.

He cited developments involving traditional institutions and road construction, saying Tinubu had demonstrated a willingness to address issues that had remained unresolved for years.

Wike also assured residents that the Bwari-Kubwa road would be ready for use by Christmas.

“By the grace of God, this December you will do Christmas on this road, Bwari to Kubwa,” he said.

He urged the people to support Tinubu in the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, warning them against what he described as political gamblers and political kalo-kalo people.

Wike also announced plans to recommend Julius, a former Bwari Area Council chairmanship aspirant, to Tinubu for appointment as head of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB).

He said Julius had agreed to step down in favour of the incumbent Bwari Area Council Chairman, Joshua Ishaku Musa, during the last area council election after consultations with political leaders.

The minister said the decision was taken to promote unity and strengthen the political alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Immediately I leave here, I will write a statement to Mr President for appointment. He will be the man I will recommend to Mr President for him to be in charge of FCT UBEB,” he said.

Earlier, the council chairman commended Wike for projects being executed across the territory, saying residents could see the impact of the administration’s interventions.

He recalled that Wike had visited Bwari before the last area council election to ask residents to support his candidacy, adding that the people responded by electing him chairman.

Musa pledged the continued support of political stakeholders in Bwari, saying they would mobilise residents in line with the minister’s political direction.

The FCT PDP chairman, Ismaila Mohammed Dogara, also endorsed the coalition, declaring that the Renewed Hope Coalition had come to stay.

Dogara praised the infrastructure and institutional developments in the FCT and urged Wike to convey the stakeholders’ appreciation to Tinubu.

He said the 2027 elections would provide an opportunity for residents to reciprocate the President’s support.

Similarly, the FCT APC chairman, Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, commended Wike for improving relations among politicians across party lines.

Yamawo said the political arrangement would benefit stakeholders beyond the candidates being promoted and expressed confidence that Bwari residents would support the APC in the forthcoming elections.

The meeting was attended by APC and PDP stakeholders, traditional rulers and other political leaders, who expressed support for the coalition and pledged to mobilise votes for Tinubu and the party’s candidates in 2027.