Uzodimma: Governors will back only APC candidates, take charge of Tinubu’s re-election campaign
The political temperature ahead of the 2027 general elections has risen sharply as governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have warned against the emergence of parallel political structures capable of weakening the party or undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The position, which has heightened the growing political tension within the ruling party, was announced by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, following a high-level meeting of APC governors in Abuja.
The meeting, held at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge, came amid increasing political manoeuvring surrounding the so-called Rainbow Coalition championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Wike, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued to maintain that the coalition is primarily aimed at securing the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027. However, the emergence of political structures operating across existing party lines has reportedly generated concern among sections of the APC.
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Addressing journalists after the meeting, Uzodimma said the governors had unanimously resolved to support the APC and its candidates at every level of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the forum would not support any political arrangement or candidate outside the APC if such an arrangement could weaken the ruling party or threaten the President’s re-election prospects.
“The APC Governors Forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr President, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodimma said.
The Imo governor stressed that the commitment of APC governors would remain firmly focused on candidates sponsored by the party.
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“The forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate because our candidates who are contesting the election are being sponsored by our party,” he added.
Uzodimma further disclosed that the governors would take an active role in coordinating the party’s campaign machinery across their respective states, in line with President Tinubu’s re-election strategy and the broader objectives of the APC.
The declaration is significant because of the growing political realignment taking place ahead of the 2027 elections, with politicians from different parties increasingly exploring alliances and alternative political platforms.
The Rainbow Coalition associated with Wike has emerged as one of the most closely watched developments in the unfolding political drama.
Although Wike remains a member of the PDP, his political relationship with President Tinubu and his activities within the emerging coalition have continued to attract widespread attention.
The latest declaration by the APC governors could therefore be interpreted as a clear attempt to consolidate the ruling party’s political structure and prevent competing loyalties from developing within its ranks.
Political tensions surrounding the emerging realignment have reportedly been particularly noticeable in states such as Rivers, Kwara, Gombe and Cross River, where political actors are said to be reassessing their alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
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The APC governors also expressed concern that multiple candidates and competing political structures could create confusion among voters, particularly at the grassroots level.
For the ruling party, the challenge is not only to retain control of the presidency but also to maintain its influence across the states, National Assembly and other levels of government.
The governors’ position effectively draws a political line ahead of the 2027 contest: APC governors are expected to campaign for APC candidates and resist arrangements that could produce divided loyalty within the party.
With the political machinery for 2027 already beginning to take shape, the latest development signals that the battle for control of Nigeria’s political landscape is entering a new and potentially more contentious phase.
As political alliances continue to shift across the country, the coming months are expected to reveal whether the Rainbow Coalition can maintain its momentum or whether the APC leadership will succeed in consolidating its governors and grassroots structures behind President Tinubu.
For now, the message from the Progressive Governors Forum is clear: the governors intend to stand firmly behind the APC and President Tinubu as the 2027 presidential battle draws closer.
