Wike: Why I won’t contest against Tinubu in 2027

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he would not contest for presidency in 2027 if President Bola Tinubu decides to seek re-election in office.

There have been speculations that Wike, who came second in the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, could revive his presidential ambition in 2027.

The former governor of Rivers State lost to Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, in the primary election.

However, Wike while speaking in an interview in Abuja on Friday, said he would not contest against his boss, Tinubu, in the 2027 presidential election.

The minister stated that good character should never be compromised on the altar of politics, adding that having worked for the emergence of Tinubu as Nigeria’s President and having been made FCT Minister, nothing would make him contest against the president in 2027.

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The former governor said his quest for justice led him and four other PDP governors to form the G5 to canvass for power shift to the South and support the presidential ambition of Tinubu.

Wike said: “Tinubu made me the FCT minister and I won’t allow anybody to crumble our political structure. No!

“Tinubu made me minister, people don’t understand, I have character. What will happen in 2027? I stood and I said I am not going to support injustice.

“I was threatened that they would do me this and that. They tried many options including using Major Generals.”

On his achievements as the governor of Rivers State, Wike said: “I was paying pensioner’s gratuity every month which were not paid by my predecessor.

“I took Rivers State to the level where you cannot discuss politics in Nigeria without Rivers State.

“I was an ordinary minister when I became a governor. I challenged the sitting governor and I defeated his candidate. I worked hard.”

The Star