Wike Hits Back at APC Governors Over Coalition Remarks

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has mocked governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) who oppose the Rainbow Coalition he is promoting. This coalition aims to gather support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027.

Wike, who is a leader in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and part of the APC-led federal government, challenged the governors. He urged them to focus on campaigning for Tinubu instead of interfering in the coalition.

The minister made this clear in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka. This was in response to the APC Governors Forum’s stance on the coalition.

Reports from PREMIUM TIMES indicated that the APC Governors Forum, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, rejected any political coalition that could harm the party’s chances in the upcoming 2027 elections. Governor Uzodimma, who is also secretary of the Tinubu Campaign Council, said joining such a coalition could weaken Tinubu’s chances and the APC ahead of the elections.

Some APC leaders have shown worry about the coalition. They pointed out that Wike might be using it to back politicians who lost APC primaries and now want to run under the PDP banner.

Wike took a jab at Uzodimma regarding how he became governor after the 2019 elections. Uzodimma initially came fourth but was declared the winner by the Supreme Court in 2020.

The minister stated that Nigerian politics should now focus on grassroots mobilization and securing votes at polling units, rather than relying on court decisions. Although he did not name Uzodimma directly, it was clear he was addressing him.

"Politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor. It is about genuinely mobilising support and winning elections from the polling units," he said.

Wike also questioned Uzodimma’s ability to deliver Imo State for Tinubu in 2027. He highlighted the state’s voting patterns during the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Wike noted that even though APC candidates won two senatorial seats in Imo State in 2023, Tinubu received less than 15 percent of the presidential votes in the state. "In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day as that of the President, and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it a rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?" he asked.

Wike did not stop there. He also criticized the governors from Ebonyi, Abia, and Enugu states, where Tinubu also did poorly in the 2023 presidential election, even though APC candidates won some National Assembly seats.

"Was it the Rainbow Coalition that also made the APC win the National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia, and Enugu, where the President did not have 10 percent of the votes?" he questioned.

He added that if voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi voted APC in the senatorial election but chose another party in the presidential election in 2023, they would not be confused in 2027 if everyone truly supports the president.

Wike urged the governors to concentrate more on Tinubu’s re-election campaign than they did during his 2023 campaign. "After the President has been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our states," he said.

Responding to claims that he was using the coalition to help politicians against the APC, Wike clarified that he never promised that the PDP would not field candidates in the 2027 elections.

"What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP would not field candidates to contest the governorship, National Assembly, and House of Assembly elections.

"Most importantly, the Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is their own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term," he stated.

Wike is supporting the PDP group led by Abdulrahman Mohammed. This group is recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and submitted its list of candidates. They are also presenting Sandy Onor, a former senator, as their presidential candidate in the January 16 election, even though Wike says he backs President Tinubu.

A faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki, a former minister, still claims to be the party’s legitimate group. This faction even tried to put former President Goodluck Jonathan forward as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.