Abuja – In a political maneuver widely described by analysts as a seismic shift in the nation’s capital, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, a key chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has openly campaigned for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Minister, a former Governor of Rivers State, stunned political observers by calling on residents of Tunga Madaki and surrounding communities to reward the APC at the ballot box ahead of the February 2026 Area Council elections.
Mr. Wike’s endorsement came during the flag-off of a crucial 7-kilometre road project linking Tunga Madaki to eight other settlements. The event served as the platform for him to openly back Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, who recently defected from the PDP to the APC and is seeking a second term.
Development as Political Currency
Minister Wike strategically tied the road project directly to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, asserting that the development was incontrovertible evidence of the APC delivering results where past administrations failed.
He highlighted the historical injustice suffered by the community, stating: “It was unfair that a people surrendered their ancestral lands for a national project like a second runway, yet had no access road, even to the airport they gave land for. I took the matter to Mr. President, and he said, ‘Whatever they ask for, give it to them.’ Today, we are here to fulfill that promise.”
The project, being executed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is scheduled for completion and commissioning in June 2026, a move many observers see as a carefully timed political statement, aligning with President Tinubu’s third anniversary in office.
The Explicit Call to Repay the Party
Going beyond mere policy praise, Wike delivered a direct political charge, urging residents to repay the ruling party at the polls.
“One good turn deserves another. When you do for me, I do for you,” the Minister charged the crowd. He commended Maikalangu for being a “tireless advocate” and pressed voters to re-elect him so that the road’s commissioning next June would be a “joint celebration.”
Wike challenged the residents to compare records: “You have had council chairmen before — did anyone remember Tunga Madaki? Did they connect you to the airport whose land you gave away? Ask them where they were when your roads were impassable.”
Open Declaration of Political War
Political analysts view Wike’s defiant stance as an open declaration of political war on his former party, the PDP, which has struggled to retain its hold in the FCT.
The increasingly clear alignment with the APC’s agenda, coupled with the strategic timing of the project’s completion, suggests a concerted effort to consolidate power in the FCT. Analysts warn that the PDP could face a humiliating defeat in the 2026 council polls, potentially paving the way for a much stronger APC showing in the crucial 2027 presidential elections. The Tunga Madaki road, therefore, represents more than just infrastructure; it is now a key symbol in the unfolding political battle for control of the nation’s capital.
