Tinubu Struggling For Power, Can’t Strengthen His Opponents – Wike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s recent political stance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike said politics is fundamentally a contest for power, arguing that it would be unreasonable to expect a sitting president to assist rival parties or politicians seeking to remove him from office.
The minister spoke during his monthly media parley while reacting to President Tinubu’s recent declaration that “all is fair in politics” as political activities intensify ahead of the next general election.
According to Wike, criticisms that the Federal Government is attempting to intimidate or weaken opposition parties are misplaced because every political actor naturally seeks to gain an advantage over opponents.
“People are accusing the government of trying to intimidate, of trying to weaken the opposition. People have accused the ruling party of trying to see that the opposition does not exist,” Wike said.
He questioned why anyone would expect the President to help strengthen those working to defeat him at the polls.
“In politics, it is not my duty to strengthen my opponent,” the minister declared.
“In politics, I want to preside over. We are struggling for power. And I see that my opponent has some weaknesses or loopholes. It’s not for me to go and help them to be strong. If I can do anything to make them weaker, yes.”
Wike’s remarks came a week after Tinubu declared that he was fully prepared for a fierce political contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election, stressing that he would not make it easy for his opponents to unseat him.
The President made the comments while receiving members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Responding to concerns raised by the bishops over Nigeria’s political climate and the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu maintained that the electoral umpire had not intimidated any political actor.
The President argued that complaints from opposition politicians were largely driven by internal political challenges rather than any bias on the part of INEC.
“I asked for this job. I’m in it. Those who will take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and it’s equal opportunity,” Tinubu had said.
He added: “INEC, you mentioned, is neutral. They’ve never, never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolves, maybe they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the companies they keep, not me.
“I’m ready, but I won’t give them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me and rope me. No, we wrestle each other to the finishing point.”
Tinubu’s comments have continued to generate political reactions as many opposition leaders have repeatedly accused the government of sabotaging the opposition parties
The electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission shows that the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections will be held on January 16, 2027, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Tinubu is seeking a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while prominent opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, are among those who will slug it out with him for the presidency.
