Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the choice by some opposition figures to help President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that the transfer does not quantity to anti-party activity.
Olayinka, who can also be a spokesperson for the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, made the remarks in an interview with Arise TV whereas discussing political realignments forward of the 2027 basic election.
He argued that the help Tinubu is receiving from politicians exterior the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, displays a big improvement in Nigeria’s political panorama.
He cited the place of Wike, a distinguished member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, arguing that the social gathering had not publicly disowned the minister over his help for Tinubu.
“PDP has come out openly to say we are backing this person. Nyesom Wike is the national leader of PDP, and he has said that PDP is backing the President,” he stated.
Olayinka maintained that the absence of a public repudiation by the PDP management supported his argument that the association ought to not be thought to be anti-party activity.
The interview comes amid debate over cross-social gathering alliances involving political figures, together with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Anambra State Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, and Wike, who has been related to efforts to construct a rainbow coalition in help of Tinubu.
Addressing issues that the alliance may have an effect on electoral contests on the state and constituency ranges, Olayinka stated the association was targeted on the presidential election and did not essentially prolong to different elections.
“It is called a general election. And general election, there are elections at every stage: presidential election, National Assembly election, governorship election, and House of Assembly election,” he stated.
According to him, political events and candidates would proceed to pursue their separate pursuits in governorship and legislative elections, the place native political dynamics usually decide the result.
“The only area that PDP has come out to say we are together is the presidential election,” he added.
Olayinka additionally argued that established voting patterns on the grassroots would restrict the extent to which nationwide political alliances may affect voters’ selections.
Drawing on his expertise as a former House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti State through the 2023 basic election, he stated many citizens remained loyal to their most well-liked events no matter political endorsements.
“The voting patterns in most local polling units are consistent,” he stated.
He added that voters with established social gathering preferences would not essentially change their selections due to endorsements by political leaders.
“In my polling unit, for instance, we know those who vote APC. So whatever you go and tell them, they will not listen to you,” Olayinka stated.
His feedback come as political observers proceed to evaluate whether or not cross-social gathering help for Tinubu may strengthen his re-election prospects whereas creating recent political calculations for opposition events forward of the 2027 basic election.
