The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised politicians opposing the Rainbow Coalition, saying they lack the ability to unite even their families and immediate communities.
Wike described the alliance, which brings together political stakeholders from the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, as a platform for promoting political cooperation, unity and development in the FCT.
The minister spoke on Monday during the commissioning of the Gwagwalada Civil Centre and an interactive meeting with APC and PDP stakeholders in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.
Taking a swipe at critics of the alliance, Wike said those opposed to the arrangement did not understand the importance of political unity and collective interests.
“Some greedy and selfish politicians do not understand what we call unity. They have no capacity to hold their space, they have no capacity to even hold their families, and they have no capacity to hold their communities. So they can open their mouths and say there is no Rainbow Coalition,” he said.
He challenged opponents to explain why political leaders who previously belonged to different camps could not set aside their disagreements and work together for the benefit of the people.
The minister commended political stakeholders in Gwagwalada for embracing cooperation, describing their decision to work across party lines as a demonstration that public interest should take precedence over personal political ambitions.
Wike said the FCT needed an atmosphere of collaboration rather than political hostility, adding that the emerging alliance represented a departure from the politics of division.
On the 2027 general elections, the minister urged residents to avoid repeating what he described as the mistakes of the 2023 elections, particularly in their choice of representatives to the National Assembly.
He questioned whether the senator representing the FCT adequately understood the challenges confronting residents of the six area councils, namely Gwagwalada, Kuje, Bwari, Kwali, Abaji and Abuja Municipal Area Council.
He consequently canvassed support for former Senator Philip Aduda and other candidates endorsed by the Rainbow Coalition, stressing that elected representatives should be accessible and familiar with the needs of their constituents.
Wike also declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, urging political leaders and supporters to begin grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.
“On the day of the election, it will not be a day for market or fishing. It is the day all of us have decided to come together and demonstrate our strength through our votes. Go to the polling units, districts and communities and mobilise the people to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Earlier, the FCT Chairman of the APC, Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, described the gathering as historic, saying Wike’s political intervention had brought together leaders who previously operated on opposing sides.
Yamawo said politicians who had not considered themselves brothers because of their different party affiliations were now united under a common political arrangement in Gwagwalada.
He also praised the minister for reducing political tension in the area, noting that political campaigns had become more peaceful, unlike previous periods when political activities were characterised by violence and destruction of vehicles.
Similarly, the FCT PDP Chairman, Ismaila Mohammed Dogara, commended Wike for his development initiatives, particularly the completion of a project that had remained abandoned for 16 years in Gwagwalada.
Dogara said the cooperation among political leaders across party lines reflected the minister’s commitment to fostering unity among stakeholders in the territory.
The Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji, also praised Wike for his contributions to the development of the FCT, noting that the revival of the abandoned Civil Centre demonstrated the importance of continuity in governance.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Kassim Mohammed, highlighted road projects executed by his administration in Gwagwalada metropolis, Tungan Wada, Abum-pe and other communities.
He appreciated the minister for approving the establishment of a one-inch chip facility in the area but appealed for urgent intervention on the road linking the Army checkpoint to the Specialist Hospital.
A former chairman of the council, Zakari Angulu Dobi, recalled that the Civil Centre was about 80 per cent completed before he left office but suffered vandalism during the 16 years it remained abandoned, reducing its completion level to approximately 40 per cent.
He commended the incumbent administration for restoring the facility, describing its completion as a collective achievement for Gwagwalada residents, irrespective of their political affiliations.
Also speaking, Adamu Mustapha Danze urged FCT residents to reciprocate the attention given to the territory by Tinubu and Wike by supporting them at the 2027 elections.
The Gwagwalada Area Council Women Leader, Hajara Abdullahi, pledged women’s support for Tinubu, Aduda and other candidates endorsed by the coalition.
She, however, appealed to the minister to facilitate the establishment of a cottage hospital in the area to complement existing healthcare facilities.
The Gwagwalada Youth Leader and Special Assistant to the council chairman, Inuwa Guzo, also assured Wike of the support of youths across the APC and PDP blocs for the Rainbow Coalition.
Guzo appealed for the rehabilitation of the Gwagwalada football stadium, which he said had remained abandoned for more than 25 years.
