The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dismissing as false reports that a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is urging him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued on Friday, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, described the report — circulated by what he called “an online platform notorious for falsehood and blackmail” — as “another lie from idle minds who have nothing to contribute to national development.”
Olayinka stated that Wike remains fully committed to the administration of President Tinubu, adding that, “as far as Wike is concerned, it is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu till 2031.”
He noted that the FCT Minister has always been open about his political stance and would never operate in secrecy.
“Wike does not function in hiding. He does what he says and says what he does. The Minister has made it clear where he stands as long as the 2027 presidential election is concerned — he is with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Olayinka emphasized.
Clarifying the source of the false report, Olayinka explained that the only meeting held on August 20, 2025, involved PDP stakeholders from Southern Nigeria. The meeting, he said, was convened to discuss the Lagos summit of August 21, 2025, which aimed to review zoning arrangements for party positions allocated to the South.
He referenced a joint press statement issued after the meeting, titled “Re: Purported Meeting of PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit”, signed by several PDP leaders, including state party chairmen, national officers, and lawmakers.
According to Olayinka, mischief-makers had lifted names from that publicly available document to fabricate the claim about a presidential ambition for Wike.
“We know their intention, but unfortunately for them, the person and character of the FCT Minister are well known. He does not do anything in hiding. He has said it clearly that from now till 2031, it is on the mandate of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he will stand,” the aide stressed.
Olayinka added that Wike remains focused on delivering President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by driving infrastructural transformation and sustainable urban development in the FCT.
