The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has renewed his criticism of some All Progressives Congress governors over their opposition to the proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike, speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, maintained that the coalition was primarily intended to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election while allowing politicians to support candidates of their choice in governorship and legislative elections.
His position puts him at odds with the APC Governors’ Forum, which has said it will not support any political alliance or arrangement capable of weakening the ruling party or affecting its candidates in the 2027 elections.
The disagreement has centred partly on whether politicians can support Tinubu for president while backing candidates from other political parties in governorship and National Assembly contests.
Wike argued that such an arrangement was possible, citing the experience of the G5 governors during the 2023 elections. He said members of the group supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while their parties continued to field candidates for other elective positions.
He said the same political strategy could be adopted in 2027, with individuals supporting Tinubu at the presidential level but retaining the freedom to support candidates on other party platforms.
The FCT minister also alleged that some APC governors were concerned that politicians who failed to secure the ruling party’s tickets could contest on alternative platforms and subsequently win legislative seats without supporting candidates preferred by the governors for leadership positions in the National Assembly.
Wike specifically mentioned Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is also chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum. He alleged that Uzodimma was positioning himself to become Senate President after leaving office.
Wike also made clear his opposition to Uzodimma’s reported ambition, saying he would not support him for the position. The statement reflects Wike’s personal political position and has not established that Uzodimma will seek the Senate presidency.
The disagreement follows an earlier declaration by the APC Governors’ Forum that its members would exclusively support APC candidates in the 2027 elections. Uzodimma, after a meeting of the governors in Abuja, said the forum would not endorse arrangements that could undermine the party or its candidates.
The development has exposed competing political calculations within the wider pro-Tinubu camp. While Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he has publicly backed Tinubu’s re-election bid and has promoted the Rainbow Coalition as a cross-party platform.
Wike said his support for Tinubu did not require him to abandon the PDP or support APC candidates in other elections.
He also rejected reports that Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement ahead of 2027, challenging those making the claim to identify the states involved.
The minister said his principal political objective was to campaign for Tinubu’s re-election and pointed to issues including the President’s support for state police and what he described as greater devolution of powers and resources to sub-national governments.
The confrontation comes against the background of wider disagreements between Wike and some APC governors over his political activities. Earlier in September, the APC Governors’ Forum publicly opposed alliances that it believed could weaken the ruling party.
There have also been reports that President Tinubu could intervene to ease tensions between Wike and the APC governors. A senior presidential aide previously told The PUNCH that the President was expected to engage the parties and seek a resolution to their differences.
However, the latest comments from Wike indicate that the disagreement remains unresolved.
The controversy is likely to remain significant as political parties and their potential candidates prepare for the 2027 elections. The central issue is whether support for a presidential candidate can operate independently of party loyalty in governorship and legislative contests.
For now, Wike maintains that such cross-party support is politically possible, while the APC Governors’ Forum has stated that its campaign commitment remains focused on APC candidates at all levels.
