By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Former Ekiti State Governor and Rural Electrification Agency Chairman, Ayo Fayose, has dismissed concerns that Nyesom Wike’s “Rainbow” voting strategy could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term in 2027.
Fayose made his position known in an interview on Channels Television, monitored by PerSecondNews on Tuesday evening, where he argued that Wike’s position and that of APC governors reflect different political strategies, not opposition to Tinubu.
“None of the parties have said they are not supporting the president. It is the methodology, the style that is the issue,” he said.
He asserted that Wike could support Tinubu’s presidential ambition while allowing PDP candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections without contradicting his position.
“Wike cannot come and tell PDP members, ‘Don’t contest.’ It is not morally right for him to say that. He cannot ask the party to shut itself down,” Fayose maintained.
Fayose pointed to previous elections to explain how voters could support candidates from different political parties for different positions on the same ballot.
“Politics is local. In the same ballot, you see the president winning 80 per cent, the House of Representatives winning 30 per cent, while the Senate gets maybe 55 per cent,” he explained.
On concerns that Wike’s strategy could create confusion among voters, Fayose argued that its impact would depend largely on the former Rivers governor’s ability to mobilise support within individual states.
“If Rainbow works for Wike in Rivers and he can bring the result, that is all the president wants. If Rainbow works and can give him numbers, so be it,” he stressed.
The former governor also dismissed concerns that the disagreement between Wike and APC governors could affect Tinubu’s presidential support, describing the political contest as an expression of individual interests.
“Everybody has his own ego. Every one of us, including myself, my position when I was governor was different from Governor Fayemi and different from the sitting governor,” he stated.
Wike’s commitment to Tinubu, Fayose insisted, is limited to the presidency, while he seeks to preserve the PDP for future political contests.
“Wike has not put it out there that he is supporting people beyond the presidency because he still wants to keep the PDP. Wike has not hidden his position; neither have I hidden my position,” Fayose explained.
On Tinubu’s performance, Fayose defended the administration’s record, citing economic reforms, infrastructure projects and federal interventions while acknowledging the scale of Nigeria’s challenges.
“As far as we cannot finish the problems of Nigeria overnight, it’s not. No manna is coming from anywhere. These are things that we can’t shy away from,” he maintained.
Fayose’s defence comes amid growing disagreement over FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, which the former Rivers governor says is aimed at mobilising support for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election while allowing PDP candidates to contest other elective positions.
However, APC governors have opposed the arrangement.
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