Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure victory in the 2027 presidential election. He also insisted that President Tinubu has the pedigree and capacity to get a return ticket in 2027.
Speaking yesterday during a live media chat in Abuja, Wike dismissed claims made by the former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai that Tinubu would come a distant third in the polls as a fallacy.
Recall that el-Rufai had, in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday, argued that President Tinubu had “no pathway to win” and might not even secure a first ballot victory. The FCT minister further added he would agree to a bet with el-Rufai that Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027. He said: “El-Rufai is my friend, but he failed in mathematics. He goofed; since he knows Tinubu will come third, he should also provide who will be first and second.
“I will place a bet if el-Rufai agrees, if Tinubu doesn’t win the 2027 election securely.” Wike also described el-Rufai’s projections as flawed, questioning why he failed to specify who would emerge first and second.
He further maintained that the Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who polled six million votes in 2023, posed no threat to Tinubu in 2027, stressing that political dynamics have since shifted.
On security, Wike vowed to prevent criminals from overrunning the FCT. He warned that poverty cannot justify illegal migration, unlawful settlements, or criminal activities in Abuja, adding that insecurity remains his administration’s top priority. He said his administration would not tolerate excuses that criminality is a by-product of poverty.
Wike vowed that illegal settlements would be cleared: “We are going to make sure that all illegal occupants anywhere will be thrown out. “It is unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it because security is key. It is paramount because any government that cannot provide security for its citizens has nothing to do.” The minister further insisted that poverty is a global reality but not an excuse for crime.
On the health sector and resident doctors’ strike threat, the minister criticised what he described as unrealistic demands and blackmail. “Every sector believes that everything should be 100%.
No government will sit back and say: ‘Look, I don’t want this sector to be functional.’ No. Based on these resources, it must be tailored towards one sector as the need arises,” he explained.
He noted that doctors frequently shift demands. “Today, the doctors are talking about training and retraining. Tomorrow, allowances are not being paid. Next, hospitals have no facilities.
When you provide the equipment today, tomorrow you say, ‘What about training and retraining?’ Then hazard allowance. Each time, it is another demand,” he said.
Wike added that rather than engage the government constructively, unions resort to threats. “You wake up in the morning, and here it is, we have issued the government an ultimatum without even writing to the government. The thing is just blackmail, threats,” he said. Lamenting financial constraints, he said the FCT wage bill was already overstretched.
