Wike made the disclosure on Monday, October 12, 2026, during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Abuja. The political platform is mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 through an alliance involving politicians from different parties.

The FCT minister said his involvement in the Edo election was driven by his opposition to former governor Godwin Obaseki’s attempt to influence who would succeed him. He maintained that he had no regrets about supporting an arrangement that helped the APC defeat the PDP.

Wike explained that the collaboration brought together politicians from the two parties for the purpose of preventing Obaseki from retaining political influence through his preferred successor, Asue Ighodalo, who was the PDP’s candidate.

He also said his opposition to Ighodalo was not based on the candidate’s qualifications, describing him as a good candidate who had visited his residence several times to seek his support.

However, Wike said he was unwilling to back Ighodalo because he viewed the election as a contest against Obaseki’s political influence. He argued that electing Ighodalo would have allowed the former governor to maintain a foothold in the state’s politics.

The minister used the experience to argue that cross-party political alliances have long played a role in Nigerian elections, regardless of the formal party membership of the politicians involved.

The September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election was won by APC candidate Monday Okpebholo, who secured 291,667 votes. Ighodalo finished second with 247,274 votes, while Labour Party candidate Olumide Akpata polled 22,763 votes, according to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Wike’s latest comments also come amid debate over the Rainbow Coalition and its role in the build-up to the 2027 general elections. The minister has described the platform as a cross-party mobilisation effort focused on securing a second term for Tinubu rather than a formal extension of the APC’s party structure.

The arrangement has attracted criticism from some APC figures, who have expressed concern that political structures operating outside the party’s official organisation could complicate efforts to coordinate its candidates during the next election cycle.

Although Wike remains a PDP member, his support for Tinubu and his cooperation with APC politicians have placed him at odds with sections of his party over its political direction.

At Monday’s meeting, Wike also declared that he would coordinate Tinubu’s re-election campaign in the FCT and Rivers State. Participants reportedly agreed to support the president’s second-term bid, while PDP stakeholders in the FCT also pledged support for APC candidates contesting Senate and House of Representatives seats.

His remarks underline the growing importance of cross-party alliances as political actors begin positioning themselves ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia