Wike not eyeing presidency, fully committed to Tinubu — Aide

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has debunked claims that his principal is nursing a presidential ambition.

In a statement issued on Friday, Olayinka dismissed media reports alleging that some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were mounting pressure on Wike to contest the 2027 presidential election.

He clarified that Wike remains firmly committed to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and has no intention of running against him.

“Wike does not function in hiding. He does what he says and says what he does,” the statement read.

“The Minister has made it clear where he stands as long as the 2027 Presidential election is concerned, he is with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We know their intention, though. Unfortunately for them, and the platform they are using to propagate their idle plots, the person and character of the FCT Minister are known to everyone – he does not do anything in hiding.

“He [Wike] has said it clearly that from now till 2031, it is on the mandate of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he will stand.

“To ensure the success of the President’s reelection, Wike will continue to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda in the FCT by actualising the visions of the President for a federal capital city that can compete with other capital cities in the world in terms of infrastructural development.”

Olayinka further clarified that the only meeting held on August 20, which the reports referenced, was a gathering of PDP stakeholders from the southern region to deliberate on the micro-zoning of party positions allocated to the area.