A senior political aide to African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has claimed that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, could lose the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the 2027 general election.
Demola Olarewaju made the claim while commenting on the growing disagreement between Wike and some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over political alliances ahead of the election.
Olarewaju alleged that Wike’s continued engagement with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, was part of a strategy to preserve his political relevance beyond 2027.
He also argued that the minister’s disagreements with APC governors were politically calculated, describing Wike’s relationship with the president as one based on temporary political interests.
The claims come amid increasing tension over Wike’s proposed Rainbow Coalition, which the minister has described as a multi-party platform created to mobilise support for Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Wike has consistently maintained that supporting Tinubu does not require him to abandon the PDP or prevent the party from fielding candidates for governorship and legislative positions in 2027.
He has also rejected suggestions that his political activities amount to an agreement for him to join the APC.
The former Rivers State governor recently defended the coalition, arguing that voters could support a presidential candidate from one party while choosing candidates from different parties for other elective positions.
His position, however, has generated opposition from the APC Governors’ Forum.
The forum, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, has said its members will support APC candidates across the different levels of the 2027 elections and reject political arrangements that could weaken the party’s electoral structure.
Uzodimma’s position has brought the APC governors into direct disagreement with Wike over the extent to which a multi-party coalition can operate alongside the ruling party’s own campaign structure.
Wike has also accused some APC governors of being unhappy with his appointment as FCT minister and said the disagreements between them did not begin with the Rainbow Coalition.
Olarewaju’s comments add another layer to the political debate surrounding Wike’s role ahead of the 2027 election.
The minister remains a member of the PDP but has publicly backed Tinubu’s re-election, creating an unusual political position that has attracted both support and criticism from different political camps.
Meanwhile, opposition parties and politicians are continuing consultations over possible alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku is seeking the presidency on the ADC platform, while several other prominent opposition figures are pursuing separate political arrangements.
As political realignments continue, Wike’s future relationship with the president and his position within the PDP are likely to remain subjects of political debate.
For now, the assertion that Tinubu will withdraw his support for Wike after 2027 remains Olarewaju’s political claim, rather than a statement confirmed by either Tinubu or Wike.
