By our reporter
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has promised to recommend former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate Julius Adamu for an appointment with the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) following his decision to withdraw from the Bwari Area Council chairmanship race in support of the incumbent chairman, Joshua Ishaku.
Wike made the announcement during a meeting with political stakeholders, traditional rulers and supporters of the APC-PDP Rainbow Coalition in Bwari, Abuja.
The former Rivers State governor praised Adamu for putting the coalition’s political arrangement ahead of his personal ambition and promised to write to President Bola Tinubu recommending him for the position.
The development has attracted attention as Wike continues to encourage politicians from different parties to work together in support of Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
✓WHY WIKE PROMISED HIM AN APPOINTMENT
According to reports, Adamu withdrew from the Bwari Area Council chairmanship contest after discussions with Wike and other political stakeholders.
His decision paved the way for Joshua Ishaku, the incumbent chairman, to receive his support under the political arrangement.
Speaking at the meeting, Wike explained that he had appealed to Adamu to step aside in the interest of the coalition and to help prevent unnecessary political competition.
The FCT minister said Adamu accepted the request without hesitation.
Wike reportedly stated that he would recommend the former PDP candidate to President Tinubu for an appointment with the FCT Universal Basic Education Board.
He explained that Adamu’s willingness to step aside demonstrated humility and a willingness to prioritise collective political interests over personal ambition.
However, Wike’s announcement was a promise to recommend Adamu for the appointment, not confirmation that President Tinubu had approved or granted him the position.
✓RAINBOW COALITION BRINGS APC AND PDP POLITICIANS TOGETHER
The development is connected to Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a political arrangement bringing together supporters of the APC and PDP to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Wike has repeatedly argued that political party affiliation should not prevent politicians from working together when they share common objectives.
His approach has involved encouraging politicians to support candidates who are aligned with the coalition’s political plans, even when those candidates belong to different parties.
In the FCT, the arrangement has already generated discussion following the withdrawal of several PDP National Assembly candidates in favour of their APC counterparts.
The latest development in Bwari suggests that Wike is also willing to recognise politicians who withdraw from local contests to support candidates backed by the coalition.
✓WOMEN LEADER APPEALS FOR RECOGNITION
During the meeting, Bwari APC women leader Deborah Ayorinde appealed to Wike to recognise Adamu for his decision to withdraw from the chairmanship contest.
She praised his willingness to support the political arrangement and asked the minister to consider him for an appointment.
Ayorinde also appealed for continued attention to Bwari Area Council, arguing that the area had suffered from prolonged neglect compared with other parts of the FCT.
Her appeal contributed to the discussion that led Wike to announce his intention to recommend Adamu for the FCT-UBEB position.
✓WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PDP POLITICIANS?
The development raises questions about the political choices facing PDP members who are aligned with Wike’s Rainbow Coalition.
On one hand, supporters of the arrangement may argue that cooperation across party lines can create opportunities for political participation and appointments.
On the other hand, critics may question whether asking opposition candidates to withdraw in favour of APC-backed politicians weakens the PDP’s ability to compete independently.
Wike has maintained that his support for Tinubu does not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates in other elections.
However, the withdrawal of individual candidates in favour of APC contenders has intensified the debate about how the coalition operates in practice.
✓WILL THE PRESIDENT APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT?
The next development to watch is whether Wike submits the promised recommendation and whether the President or the relevant authorities approve it.
For now, the confirmed development is Wike’s public pledge to recommend Adamu for a position with the FCT Universal Basic Education Board.
The appointment itself has not been confirmed.
The incident also raises a wider question about the relationship between political cooperation, personal ambition and government appointments in Nigeria.