The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has rejected concerns from some All Progressives Congress, APC, governors that the proposed Rainbow Coalition could weaken the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, Wike said the coalition was primarily focused on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while allowing politicians to support candidates of their choice in governorship and legislative elections.
The FCT minister alleged that the opposition of some APC governors to the coalition was linked to their political interests, particularly plans to influence who emerges as the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Wike specifically alleged that Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, was positioning himself for the Senate presidency after leaving office.
The comments followed the September 15 position of the APC Governors Forum that its members would not support or endorse any political arrangement capable of weakening the party, undermining Tinubu’s re-election or affecting APC candidates.
Uzodimma had said the governors’ support would remain exclusively with APC candidates at all levels.
Wike, however, argued that supporting Tinubu for president did not mean abandoning candidates of other political parties in governorship and legislative contests.
He cited the G5 governors during the 2023 elections, saying the group supported Tinubu for president while their respective parties continued to field candidates for other elective positions.
Wike said a similar arrangement could apply in 2027, with politicians supporting Tinubu for president while backing candidates of their preferred parties for other positions.
He also rejected the suggestion that such an arrangement would confuse voters, saying Nigerians had previously voted for candidates from different political parties in the same election cycle.
Wike alleges governors have National Assembly interests
Wike alleged that some APC governors were opposed to the Rainbow Coalition because politicians who failed to secure APC tickets could move to other political platforms, win their elections and subsequently refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for National Assembly leadership positions.
He said some governors were seeking to influence the emergence of senators and House of Representatives members who would eventually determine the next Senate President and Speaker.
On Uzodimma, Wike alleged that the Imo governor planned to contest for the Senate after leaving office and was therefore interested in influencing the process through which lawmakers would emerge.
Wike stated that he would not support Uzodimma for the position of Senate President, while maintaining that his position was based on political considerations rather than a personal dispute.
The minister also alleged that some governors were putting pressure on him because he had remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while supporting Tinubu’s re-election.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu did not require the PDP to abandon its candidates in other elections.
Wike denies nine-state arrangement
The FCT minister also dismissed reports that President Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
He challenged those making the claim to identify the states allegedly covered by the arrangement.
Wike said his main political objective was to support Tinubu’s re-election and that he intended to campaign based on the administration’s record.
Among the issues he cited were Tinubu’s support for state police and what he described as the devolution of resources and powers to sub-national governments.
Wike also said Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition and understood his political activities.
He maintained that the coalition was not intended to take over or weaken the APC, but was designed to mobilise support for Tinubu across party lines.
APC governors maintain opposition to coalition
The disagreement follows the September 15 resolution of the APC Governors Forum that its members would neither participate in, support nor endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election, weakening the APC or adversely affecting its candidates.
Uzodimma, who read the forum’s communique, said the governors’ campaign commitment was exclusively to APC candidates.
Wike has continued to argue that the governors’ opposition is driven by their political calculations, while the governors have maintained that their position is aimed at protecting the APC, its candidates and Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike had previously accused Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of spearheading opposition to the coalition.
Efforts by The PUNCH to obtain a response from APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka were unsuccessful.
However, sources within the ruling party told The PUNCH that the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, was working behind the scenes to resolve the disagreement.
The sources said the process was expected to receive further attention following the return of APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, from vacation.
According to one party source, the NWC was expected to meet with President Tinubu to discuss ways of resolving the dispute ahead of the 2027 elections.
Source: PUNCH
