Media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has dismissed claims that his principal acted treacherously by backing President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
Olayinka said Wike had been open about his support for Tinubu and did not conceal his political position, including before the Peoples Democratic Party settled on its presidential candidate.
He made the clarification during an interview on Arise TV on Friday while responding to the description of Wike as “treacherous.”
According to Olayinka, the description was misplaced because, in his view, treachery involves secretly acting against someone while pretending to remain loyal to them.
He maintained that Wike had publicly stated his intention to support Tinubu in 2027 and had continued to express the same position.
Olayinka also said Wike had informed PDP presidential aspirant Professor Sunday Oloruntuyi that he was free to contest the election but warned that the party’s current political condition could make it difficult to achieve a major electoral breakthrough.
The minister’s aide argued that not every candidate entering an election necessarily does so with a realistic expectation of winning, saying some may primarily be seeking to establish their presence.
He pointed to the number of presidential candidates expected to participate in the 2027 election as an indication that, in his assessment, several contenders may not be entering the race with victory as their primary expectation.
Olayinka cited African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, noting his reported performance in the 2023 presidential election and questioning how the candidate could secure victory in 2027.
He also questioned the electoral structure of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, claiming that the party did not have governorship candidates in 15 of the 28 states where governorship elections are expected to take place in 2027.
The aide argued that political parties need strong grassroots structures and sufficient personnel to canvass votes and manage polling units on election day.
He referred to Nigeria’s 176,846 polling units and argued that a party seeking to perform strongly would require substantial numbers of agents and organisers across the country.
Olayinka similarly questioned the preparedness of the African Democratic Congress, claiming that it lacked governorship candidates in nine of the 28 states where governorship elections are scheduled.
He said these structural weaknesses were part of the reason Wike had repeatedly described Tinubu’s expected 2027 re-election bid as relatively easy.
According to Olayinka, Wike’s assessment is based largely on what he considers the weakness of the opposition rather than any attempt to undermine the PDP secretly.
He maintained that the minister had been consistent about his political alignment and had openly backed Tinubu despite his continued association with the PDP.
The comments are likely to keep attention on Wike’s political position ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly as the former Rivers State governor remains a prominent figure in the ongoing realignment of political interests ahead of the poll.