The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will secure electoral victory in the FCT.
Wike stated this during his end-of-year live media chat in Port Harcourt, where he addressed questions on governance in Abuja, land administration controversies, opposition politics, and the ruling party’s prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.
When asked to justify his claim that President Tinubu will win the FCT and that area councils will go to the APC, considering that not all residents are satisfied with recent developments, the minister argued that voters assess leaders by tangible outcomes.
“How do you support candidates?” Wike asked, adding “You support candidates based on what your party is able to do. Whether you like Asiwaju as a person or not shouldn’t be the issue. The question is, what has he done to change the FCT?”
He acknowledged that not all residents would be satisfied with government policies but argued that it is impossible to please everyone.
“He cannot do anything for everybody. It’s not possible. Even if he stays there for 20 years, it would be difficult,” Wike said.
Wike maintained that electoral victories, particularly at the area council level, depend on demonstrable achievements.
He said, “Today, if I’m supporting an area council chairman, I must have a reason to say, vote for this person. Why would they vote for him? They vote for him because you can point and say, ‘See what you have done.’ That is the truth.”
While addressing criticisms surrounding land and rent administration in the FCT, Wike admitted that some decisions taken by his administration had generated dissatisfaction, especially among elite interests, but insisted such actions were necessary to restore order and fairness.
He said, “There are certain decisions you take that will not be acceptable to everybody. When you take a decision that affects the elite, obviously people will complain. But someone has come to make a change, and that change will affect some interests.”
Using the River Park and Polo Homes dispute as an example, Wike explained that expired agreements and violations of land-use regulations informed government action.
“Polo Homes does not have any agreement with the FCT. “Ordinarily, if we go strictly by the rules, whatever they are doing will not stand,” he said.
He noted that while the government cancelled certain certificates of occupancy, it moved to protect Nigerians who had already invested in the property by issuing direct C of Os to them.
Wike said, “We must protect Nigerians who already bought property. That is the essence of government.
“Look at the decision the President took about subsidy removal. It’s a strong decision. Who is benefiting from it? States now have more money to provide for their people,” the minister stressed.
On national politics, Wike dismissed claims that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) poses a serious threat to the APC, arguing that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains the only opposition platform capable of mounting a credible challenge.
He said, “If there should be any opposition that would give APC a fight, it should have been PDP. I don’t know where people are saying ADC is rising. Mention one state where they are rising.”
He stressed that politics remains largely local and structure-driven, “Every politics is local. No matter the amount of money you have, without structure, it will be very difficult.”
Wike further noted that while PDP may face challenges at the presidential level, it still retains strength in states and local governments where party structures and leadership confidence remain intact.
“You must differentiate. PDP may not win the presidency, but that does not mean PDP cannot win states,” he explained.
He described 2026 as a critical political year, with party primaries approaching, and urged political actors to organize effectively.
“For you to win, you must put your house in order. We have spent two years talking about infrastructure, security and sanitation in Abuja. Now politics is here,” wike said.
Wike however insisted that performance in both urban and rural communities would determine voter choices.
“Go to the rural areas. See how votes are springing up everywhere. People vote based on what they see,” he added.