The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has faulted former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, for predicting that President Bola Tinubu could finish in third place during the 2027 presidential election.
According to Mediaplusng.com, el-Rufai had, in an interview on Sunday, said Tinubu has no clear path to re-election and might only secure a third-place finish if the election goes into two rounds. He suggested that no candidate may win the required majority in the first ballot.
Reacting on Monday, Wike said his longtime friend, el-Rufai, got it wrong by stopping short of naming who would come first or second if Tinubu came third. The FCT Minister described the statement as incomplete political analysis and insisted that Tinubu would win the election “squarely.”
Wike told Mediaplusng.com that while he respects el-Rufai for speaking his mind, accuracy is more important when making bold political claims. He argued that comparing Tinubu’s chances to past elections involving former President Goodluck Jonathan was misleading.
> “El-Rufai is my friend, but he failed in this mathematics, he goofed. If he knows Tinubu would come third, then he should also tell Nigerians who will be first and second,” Wike said.
“One thing I like about el-Rufai is that he speaks his mind, but sometimes speaking your mind means you must say the one that is correct. I will even put a bet that Tinubu will win this election squarely.”
The minister also dismissed any suggestion that opposition parties could take over Rivers State in 2027, insisting that his political base remains solid.
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