Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, the Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State, has commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for recommending a rainbow coalition to win the 2027 general election.
Wike recently hinted at a public event in Abuja that a “rainbow coalition” would soon emerge to ensure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu for a second term.
According to Wike, the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, belongs to the emerging alliance.
“Adeleke’s recent meeting with President Tinubu was part of efforts to strengthen the National Rainbow Coalition of politicians across party lines in support of the President,” Wike disclosed on Friday in Abuja while inspecting ongoing projects in the FCT.
He explained that the development was not about conventional opposition politics, insisting that the political landscape had been significantly altered by the crisis rocking the PDP.
He argued that although Adeleke contested the recent Osun governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party, he remained a member of the PDP and was now part of the political realignment backing Tinubu.
“Adeleke is a member of the PDP, but because of the internal wrangling, and for him to be able to secure a ticket to run for a second term, he has to find a platform.
“And that platform happens to be a good party, but he is a member of the PDP,” he said.
Wike explained that his meeting with Adeleke followed the governor’s engagement with Tinubu and was aimed at reviewing and strengthening the emerging coalition.
“What happened last night is a meeting to review the Rainbow Coalition. And he is supporting Mr President. It is a different party. I am supporting Mr President. I am in a different party. So, it is a Rainbow Coalition,” he said.
The minister predicted that the political alliance would expand in the coming weeks, urging Nigerians to watch out for further realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“In the next few weeks, watch what is going to happen. You will see the Rainbow Coalition in this country supporting Mr President,” Wike said.
He also dismissed claims by members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that the party and its allies contributed significantly to Adeleke’s victory in the Osun governorship election.
“All those ADC people who are talking about, ‘Oh, they helped Adeleke to win,’ have seen that they just wanted to harvest what they never planted,” he said.
Wike maintained that Adeleke was now firmly within the coalition supporting Tinubu, declaring: “Adeleke belongs to us. And we all belong to Mr President.”
The minister further dismissed concerns about how former vice president Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, would react to the emerging political realignment.
According to him, the PDP, which ordinarily should constitute the major opposition force, had been weakened by its protracted internal crisis.
“I have told you, when you say we are leading the opposition, I have told you there is no opposition,” he said. “What do you have? People who are just trying to see whether they can be relevant.”
Wike said the political contest ahead of 2027 was about defeating opponents rather than making them comfortable, declaring that he remained focused on strengthening his camp and ensuring victory for Tinubu.
“I don’t want them to feel well. It’s not my wish that they should feel well. My business is to make them not feel well all day.
“When you are having a contest with somebody, your business is not to make him feel well. Your business is to make sure that you beat him thoroughly,” he said.
Reacting to Wike’s comments in a statement, Abubakar called on opposition political parties to close ranks in order to ensure victory at the polls.
Supporting the idea, the Sokoto State PDP governorship flagbearer recalled that the proposed coalition was adopted in the second republic between the NPN and NPP to win the general elections for late President Shehu Shagari and other leaders.
A coalition of progressive political parties also played a significant role in the election of late President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 and 2019 general elections, according to him.
Abubakar explained that a rainbow coalition is a comfortable marriage of convenience by politicians and political parties to win elections without rancour or acrimony.
He therefore urged opposition party candidates to bury their interests and collaborate ahead of the 2027 elections to coast to victory.
