President Bola Tinubu has said that he would gladly welcome the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) whenever he chooses to join officially.
Speaking on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Arterial Road N16 and other infrastructure projects in the Katampe District of Abuja, President Tinubu praised Wike’s contributions to national development and made a humorous remark referencing the minister’s signature campaign chant.
“We have somebody—Nyesom Wike—he is not a member of my party (APC), not yet.
“But the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will enjoy singing ‘as e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us,’” Tinubu said.
His comment elicited laughter from the audience, including Wike himself, highlighting the cordial rapport between the two political figures despite their party differences.
Wike, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been at the centre of political debate since openly backing Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.
Though he retained his PDP membership after Tinubu’s victory, Wike accepted a ministerial appointment in the APC-led administration and was sworn in as FCT Minister in August 2023.
His decision to serve in a rival government while remaining in the PDP deepened internal divisions within the main opposition party and fuelled speculation about his political loyalties.
Wike’s political path has increasingly aligned with President Tinubu’s agenda. After losing the PDP presidential primary in 2022, he refused to support the party’s eventual candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the general election.
More recently, Wike publicly pledged to back Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, even vowing to lead the campaign efforts in his home state of Rivers.
“I am a key asset. I will lead President Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Rivers State,” Wike declared during a media chat on June 3.
