The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will back only candidates aligned with President Bola Tinubu in the February 21 area council elections.
Wike made the remarks on Saturday in Abuja at the 60th birthday celebration of Sandy Onor, a former senator who represented Cross River Central.
Addressing guests at the event, the minister said his decision would not be guided by party loyalty but by support for the president’s administration.
“We have the FCT area council election coming up on February 21, and I have a duty to support any candidate that supports President Tinubu to win,” Wike said.
“It is also my duty to ensure that any candidate who is not supporting Tinubu does not win in the election, and I owe no apology for my stance.”
His comments come amid calls by aspirants for a transparent and equitable electoral process.
In January, Moses Paul, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), publicly appealed to Wike for endorsement.
Paul said he aligns with the minister’s performance-based approach to governance and described himself as “Mr Project” — a nickname widely associated with Wike during his tenure as governor of Rivers State. He added that he has supported community initiatives in AMAC, including renovation of primary schools and upgrades to primary healthcare centres.
The incumbent AMAC chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, was elected in 2022 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in April 2025 and is now seeking re-election under his new party.
