The disagreement between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and some APC governors has taken a fresh turn after the minister alleged that opposition to his proposed Rainbow Coalition is connected to political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike made the allegation during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, where he discussed the growing disagreement over the coalition and specifically mentioned Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun as governors opposed to his political activities.
The minister has presented the Rainbow Coalition as a platform that can mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election across different political parties, arguing that support for the President does not necessarily mean that politicians must abandon their own parties during governorship and legislative contests.
Wike APC Governors Disagree Over 2027 Strategy
According to Wike, the opposition from some APC governors goes beyond concerns about the possible effect of the coalition on the ruling party, with the minister alleging that political calculations surrounding the next National Assembly leadership are also involved.
He argued that some governors would prefer to have influence over the senators and House of Representatives members elected in 2027 so they could have a say in the emergence of the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Wike also linked the issue to Uzodimma’s reported interest in becoming Senate President after completing his tenure as governor.
Wike has separately stated that he would not support Uzodimma for the Senate presidency, describing his position as political rather than personal. Uzodimma, however, has not publicly responded to Wike’s latest comments about the reported ambition.
The FCT minister also pointed to the 2023 elections as an example of how politicians could support a presidential candidate while backing different candidates in state and National Assembly contests. He recalled that members of the G5 governors’ group supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, while the PDP continued to contest other positions.
Wike therefore maintains that supporting Tinubu for president should not automatically require coalition members to support APC candidates in every other election.
APC Governors Maintain Party Position
The position of the APC Governors’ Forum differs from Wike’s interpretation of the coalition. The governors have said they will support Tinubu and APC candidates in the 2027 elections and will not endorse any political arrangement that could weaken the party or adversely affect its candidates.
The disagreement has consequently created a wider political debate about whether support for Tinubu’s presidential campaign can exist separately from support for APC candidates seeking governorship and legislative seats.
Wike has insisted that the Rainbow Coalition is not an APC structure and that his own political objective is centred on securing Tinubu’s re-election. He has also rejected claims that the coalition was created to undermine the ruling party, arguing that politicians remain free to pursue their own electoral contests while supporting the President at the presidential level.
The dispute has also attracted criticism from within the APC. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, an APC senator representing Ondo Central, said the coalition had no place within the party and urged APC members not to associate themselves with it. Meanwhile, former South-East APC spokesman Denge Onoh warned that the coalition’s activities could have consequences for governorship and National Assembly contests in 2027.
For now, Wike and the APC governors remain divided over the political implications of the Rainbow Coalition. While Wike is emphasising cross-party support for Tinubu’s presidential bid, the governors are insisting on the protection of APC candidates and the party’s interests throughout the 2027 elections.
The disagreement is therefore becoming part of the broader political realignment ahead of the elections, with the positions of Wike, the APC Governors’ Forum and other political actors likely to remain closely watched as preparations for 2027 continue.
