Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has stated that he has no regrets about teaming up with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recent Edo State governorship election. He made these comments during a meeting in Abuja on Monday.
Wike explained that the goal of this collaboration was to prevent former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki from installing a successor. He emphasized that his choice was not based on the qualifications of the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, but rather on the political implications of the election.
In the election held on September 21, 2024, APC candidate Monday Okpebholo won with about 292,000 votes, while Ighodalo received around 247,000 votes. Wike noted that the alliance between the PDP and APC was crucial to this victory.
Wike acknowledged that Ighodalo had approached him multiple times for support but he ultimately decided against backing him. He stated, “You’re a good candidate. But for this election, I’m sorry. Returning you is like bringing him back,” referring to Obaseki.
The minister also defended the idea of political coalitions, arguing that they have historically influenced elections in Nigeria. He pointed out that the recent victory was a result of this type of collaboration.
Wike’s comments come as he promotes the Rainbow Coalition, a political platform aimed at supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. While he insists that this coalition operates separately from the APC, some party officials have raised concerns about its potential impact on the party’s candidates in future elections.
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