By Philip Yatai
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has reiterated the Rainbow Coalition’s N10 million reward to each political ward in Abaji Area Council if President Bola Tinubu wins in the 2027 presidential election.
Wike stated this on Tuesday during a consultative meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the Rainbow Coalition, to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was also organised to galvanise support for Sen. Philip Aduda who is vying for the Senate seat to represent FCT and Mr Danladi Chiya gunning for Abuja South Federal Constituency seat.
He explained that if the president won in all the wards in the area council, each of the 10 wards would receive a N10 million reward, all amounting to N100 million.
The minister described it as an incentive to make the stakeholders work harder to ensure overwhelming victory for the president.
He likened the high-stakes and incentive-driven strategy to performance bonuses offered to national sports teams.
Comparing the bounty to football motivation, Wike stated: “When Nigeria plays a match, they tell them: ‘Score one goal, get $50,000; win the match, get $300,000.’ It is to motivate them to play well and win.
“I want to motivate my people. I want Abaji to beat every other area council in turnout and results.”
He challenged ward leaders, councillors and the area council chairman to demonstrate their political machinery rather than relying on empty promises.
The minister made it clear that political relevance and rewards under his leadership would be strictly tied to polling unit results, saying, “If you win your ward for Tinubu, come and get your reward.”
He, however, added that any leader who lost his immediate polling unit or ward would forfeit his standing in the coalition’s victory.
“If a chairman loses his unit and we manage to win his ward, did that chairman really win? No!. You cannot lose your own immediate constituency and expect to sit at the table. Everyone must go back home and work. We must win all 135 polling units in Abaji,” he charged.
Beyond the presidential mandate, the minister also urged Abaji residents to support Aduda for the FCT senate seat and Chiya for Abuja South federal constituency. He cautioned voters against repeating past electoral choices, referencing the incumbent senator representing FCT, who he claimed abandoned the territory after getting elected.
“In 2023, you went to the market and bought something that yielded no profit. Have you seen the person you elected again? Has she come back to ask what your problems are? Anywhere you see her, tell her ‘Auntie, bye-bye.’ Time is up,” Wike told the cheering crowd. Taking a swipe at opposition figures, Wike dismissed political rivals as “social media contenders” who lacked the stamina, political stability and track record to govern Nigeria.
The Executive Chairman of the area council, Mr Abubakar Abdullahi, pledged to deliver the 135 polling units to Tinubu, Aduda and Chiya.
Abdullahi declared that Abaji remains a solid stronghold for the ruling party, Abdullahi assuring that the council’s entire voting block would be mobilised for Tinubu and APC National Assembly candidates.
Recalling his past electoral success, Abdullahi reminded the audience that during his chairmanship election, his structure secured victory in 133 out of 135 polling units. “I want to assure you, by the special grace of God, in January 2027, we are going to collectively re-elect Tinubu, our Senate and House of Representatives candidates. I assure you that all 135 polling units across Abaji Area Council will be delivered 100 per cent to Tinubu and other APC candidates,” he said.
The chairman linked the grassroots commitment to Tinubu’s administration and the unprecedented developmental interventions of the FCT minister within the area council.
“No sitting FCT minister in history had visited Abaji four consecutive times within a single tenure. This is proof of the administration’s deep commitment to rural development,” he said.
In his remarks, APC Chairman in the FCT, Mr Ishaku Yamawo, praised Wike for dismantling long-standing partisan animosities across the territory and setting a foundation of unity that transcends party lines, tribe and religion.
“You’ve laid a foundation of unity; you’ve raised a pillar of unity for us in the FCT. Rival factions are now sitting, working and eating together in support of Wike’s coordination,” he said.
Similarly, his PDP counterpart, Mr Mohammed Dogara, commended the minister for extinguishing election-related violence in the region, noting that historically-turbulent zones like Abaji now enjoyed peaceful coexistence.
“PDP as a party in Abaji Area Council flings with you. We have already keyed into the Rainbow Coalition. FCT is positioning itself to deliver the highest voting margin for President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the youth, Mr Abdu Lukman said that Wike’s performance on infrastructure and governance served as the strongest campaign for Tinubu, Aduda and Chiya in Abaji. Lukman announced the unveiling of a book entitled: “The Wike Strategy: A Guide to Mastering Nigerian Politics” on a date to be decided by the minister.
Representing female farmers, traders and mothers across the council, Mrs Asiya Suleiman applauded Wike for establishing the FCT Mandate Secretariat for Women Affairs, noting that women were now feeling seen and heard for the first time. Suleiman said that women formed the majority of voters and were already organising into ward-level clusters to guarantee a decisive victory for Tinubu and allied candidates in 2027.
, Mr Nyesom Wike, has reiterated the Rainbow Coalition’s N10 million reward to each political ward in Abaji Area Council if President Bola Tinubu wins in the 2027 presidential election.){kind=link}