The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged other states to copy the Rainbow Coalition model adopted in the FCT and Rivers State, saying it has fostered political cooperation, peace and stability among politicians across party lines.
According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the FCT minister, Lere Olayinka, Wike stated this on Friday during an interactive engagement with political leaders, traditional rulers, women and youths in Kuje Area Council,.
The statement added that the initiative had demonstrated that politicians from different parties could work together in the interest of the people instead of allowing partisan differences to fuel hostility, violence and division.
Wike said the experience in the FCT showed that political competition did not have to result in conflict.
“If Nigerian politics can come to this level, we will not be hearing about fighting; we will not be seeing ourselves killing each other,” Wike said.
He explained that the coalition brought together politicians from the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party to pursue common political objectives despite their differences.
According to him, the arrangement was also being implemented in Rivers State, allowing politicians from both parties to participate in the same political structure.
Wike said the model was based on cooperation and collective decision-making, adding that candidates emerging under the arrangement would enjoy the support of stakeholders across party lines.
He cited former FCT Senator Philip Aduda as an example, saying his political support extended beyond the APC to members of the wider coalition.
The minister said the arrangement was intended to promote inclusive representation and ensure that political office holders remained accountable to the people.
Wike also cautioned Kuje residents against repeating what he described as a political mistake in the 2023 elections, urging them to consider accessibility, accountability and performance when choosing their representatives.
He questioned the relationship between the FCT’s current senatorial representation and residents of the territory, alleging that the incumbent had not adequately engaged communities to understand their needs.
The minister contrasted this with Aduda’s relationship with his constituents, arguing that effective representation required elected officials to understand the everyday experiences of the people.
“Aduda knows them. Aduda knows when they have problems. Aduda knows when they are sleeping, and Aduda knows when they are crying. That is the essence of representation,” he said.
