ABUJA — The growing political disagreement between governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has triggered calls for President Bola Tinubu to intervene before the dispute affects the ruling party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) said the disagreement surrounding Wike’s proposed Rainbow Coalition should be treated as an internal political matter capable of being resolved through dialogue.
Speaking on the controversy, APC PCC spokesman Ima Niboro described the dispute as a disagreement among political allies who, according to him, share the same broad objective of securing President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
“I consider this a quarrel among political siblings. They are all working in the same direction, but there are differences in the details. Both camps agree that President Tinubu must return in 2027,” Niboro said.
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He, however, urged the President to intervene because the disagreement was beginning to extend from the national political arena into states and local government areas.
According to Niboro, the President’s political experience would be useful in managing the competing interests within the ruling party and its wider political coalition.
Governors oppose Wike’s Rainbow Coalition
The dispute centres largely on Wike’s political activities and his reported efforts to build a Rainbow Coalition involving politicians from different opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
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The APC governors have expressed concern that the coalition could affect APC candidates contesting governorship, legislative and other positions across the states.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, had said the governors would not support or endorse any political arrangement capable of undermining President Tinubu’s re-election bid or damaging APC candidates at other levels.
Wike, however, has rejected the criticism, maintaining that his support for President Tinubu should not be interpreted as abandoning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party under which he served as Rivers State governor.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV, Wike described some APC governors opposing his political activities as “politically lazy” and argued that state-level political problems should not be blamed on the President.
“They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse,” Wike said.
The FCT Minister also maintained that disagreements over his political activities did not begin with his decision to support Tinubu.
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According to him, there had been opposition to his political rise, his appointment as FCT minister and even his tenure as Rivers State governor.
“This thing did not start today. It started at my appointment as a minister. They were not happy that I was Minister of FCT. Also, they were unhappy when I was governor,” he said.
Wike further argued that his understanding of the political situation was informed by information that was not necessarily available to his critics.
“If they know what I know, they would not come out to shout,” he said.
Despite the controversy, Wike reiterated his support for President Tinubu, stressing that supporting the President was distinct from the activities and electoral interests of individual political parties.
APC campaign council calls for internal resolution
Niboro appealed to APC leaders and other political stakeholders to reduce their public exchanges and concentrate on strengthening their political structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
“If you’re a political leader, stop talking, go and work. Go and establish authority in your political base,” he said.
The PCC spokesman said political disagreements were not unusual in large political organisations and recalled similar internal conflicts that contributed to divisions within the PDP during its years in power.
He argued that the APC’s expanding political coalition would inevitably create competing interests that would have to be managed.
“These things have to be managed, and we have a leader who I think is competent enough to manage these things, and he will. Take my word,” Niboro said.
Igbokwe asks Wike to meet APC governors
Meanwhile, APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe has called on Wike to engage directly with the party’s governors and explain the objectives of his proposed Rainbow Coalition.
Igbokwe described Wike as an important political stakeholder whose influence should not be disregarded.
“Wike is a critical stakeholder. You can ignore him to your own peril. He has a command. He has followers,” Igbokwe said.
However, he questioned the timing and approach of the coalition initiative and urged Wike to consult the APC governors.
“Coming at this time, to put this (Rainbow Coalition) on the table, it’s not… he has to listen to the majority, sit down with the governors and explain,” he said.
According to Igbokwe, the disagreement should be settled through discussions rather than public criticism.
“No man is an island. Explain to your colleagues what you are trying to do,” he added.
Okechukwu cautions Tinubu against abandoning Wike
Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria and APC foundation member Osita Okechukwu also weighed in on the controversy, cautioning President Tinubu against calls to distance himself from Wike.
Okechukwu argued that the issue should have been handled within the party rather than through public exchanges.
“In my 48 years in party politics, I have never seen where such an elementary issue was pretentiously thrown open. May I ask the governors: don’t you have access to Mr. President, and what is the proverbial caucus meant for?” he said.
He urged Tinubu to be cautious about what he described as attempts by some governors to influence the President’s relationship with Wike.
Okechukwu argued that Wike’s political network contributed to the APC’s electoral performance in the 2023 presidential election and said the President should maintain a broad political coalition ahead of 2027.
“Mr. President has never overlooked the governors. All he wants is supplementary votes from Wike, especially in states where the electorate is angry and where some of the FPGs have alienated the people,” he said.
He urged APC governors to focus on strengthening their relationships with voters while allowing the President to maintain political alliances beyond the APC.
The continuing disagreement highlights the competing interests that could shape the APC’s strategy as political parties and major stakeholders position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
