Tinubu hints at open door for Wike to Join APC

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday signaled a possible political realignment as he declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would gladly welcome the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, if he decides to officially join the ruling party.

Speaking during the commissioning of the newly completed Arterial Road N16 (Shehu Shagari Way), which links Ring Road One (Nnamdi Azikiwe Way) to Arterial Road N20 (Wole Soyinka Road), as well as key roads in the Katampe District, President Tinubu praised Wike’s leadership in Abuja and hinted that his political future may lie within the APC.

“We are open to him,” Tinubu said. “With Wike, the APC will continue to be in a joyous mood, while others will keep writhing in pain.”

The statement, delivered in Tinubu’s characteristically candid tone, has further fueled ongoing speculation about Wike’s political alignment—a recurring question since his appointment as FCT Minister in an APC-led federal government, despite his formal membership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, has been a polarizing figure in the PDP, particularly after he led the G-5 Governors who opposed the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 general elections.

Since then, internal divisions have plagued the PDP, with ongoing leadership tussles and factional struggles weakening the once-dominant opposition party.

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Political analyst Dr. Suleiman Adedeji, a senior fellow at the Centre for Democratic Studies, described Tinubu’s remarks as “strategic signaling.”

“Tinubu is playing the long game. By publicly expressing openness to Wike, he’s not only acknowledging Wike’s influence in the South-South but also destabilizing the PDP further,” Adedeji noted.

“Wike has been sitting on the political fence for a while now. If he defects, it would deal another blow to the PDP’s efforts to rebuild.”

While Wike has not officially declared any move to the APC, his continued presence in Tinubu’s cabinet and the president’s open invitation suggest a warming alliance that could reshape the political landscape ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Sources close to the FCT Minister suggest that while no final decision has been made, Wike remains “politically pragmatic” and is closely watching how events unfold both within the PDP and the broader national stage.

As Tinubu’s administration marks another key infrastructure milestone in Abuja, the road commissioning event doubled as a potential inflection point in Nigeria’s ongoing political realignments, with the lines between party affiliations growing increasingly blurred.