Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised politicians questioning the existence of the Rainbow Coalition, saying they lack the ability to unite even their families and communities.
Wike made the remarks on Monday in Abuja during the commissioning of the Gwagwalada Civic Centre and an interactive meeting with stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gwagwalada Area Council.
He described the Rainbow Coalition, which comprises political actors from the two major parties, as an alliance driven by the need for unity, cooperation and development in the FCT.
According to him, those dismissing the coalition do not understand the importance of political cooperation because of their selfish interests.
“Some greedy and selfish politicians do not understand what we call unity. They have no capacity to hold their space, they have no capacity to even hold their families, and they have no capacity to hold their communities. So they can open their mouths and say there is no Rainbow Coalition,” he said.
The minister challenged opponents of the alliance to explain why politicians who previously belonged to opposing camps should not be allowed to put aside their differences and work towards shared objectives.
He said the political development in Gwagwalada represented a shift from confrontation to cooperation, arguing that the FCT required collective efforts rather than unnecessary political antagonism.
Wike commended political leaders in the area for prioritising the interests of residents over personal ambitions, describing their decision to work together as a positive development.
He also urged residents to avoid repeating what he termed the mistakes of the 2023 general elections, calling on them to elect credible representatives into the National Assembly.
The minister specifically solicited support for former senator Philip Aduda and other candidates endorsed by the coalition, stressing that elected representatives should be accessible and maintain close relationships with their constituents.
Wike equally declared his support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027, urging coalition members to translate their political endorsements into electoral victories.
“On the day of the election, it will not be a day for market or fishing. It is the day all of us have decided to come together and demonstrate our strength through our votes. Go to the polling units, districts and communities and mobilise the people to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Earlier, the FCT APC Chairman, Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, described the gathering as historic, noting that Wike's political intervention had brought together leaders who previously operated on opposing sides.
Similarly, the FCT PDP Chairman, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed Dogara, commended the minister for his developmental interventions in the territory, particularly the resuscitation of the Gwagwalada Civic Centre project, which he said had remained abandoned for 16 years.
The Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji, also praised Wike's contributions to the development of the FCT, saying the revival of the project demonstrated the value of continuity in governance.
A former Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Zakari Angulu Dobi, recalled that the Civic Centre was about 80 per cent completed when he left office but was subsequently vandalised during its 16-year period of abandonment, reducing its completion level to approximately 40 per cent.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Kassim Mohammed, highlighted road projects executed by his administration in Gwagwalada metropolis, Tungan Wada, Abum-pe and other communities.
He thanked Wike for approving a new facility for Gwagwalada but appealed to the minister to intervene in the construction of the road linking the Army checkpoint to the specialist hospital.
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