Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has alleged that opposition by some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the proposed Rainbow Coalition is driven by their desire to control the emergence of the next leadership of the National Assembly.
Wike made the allegation on Monday while appearing on TVC’s Journalists Hangout programme in Abuja, amid growing disagreement between him and some APC governors over political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Rivers State governor specifically mentioned Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, as well as Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, among those opposed to the political arrangement.
The disagreement has intensified following the position of APC governors that they would not support political alliances capable of weakening the ruling party or its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike, however, maintained that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election should be separated from contests for governorship and legislative positions.
He recalled that members of the G5 governors in the 2023 presidential election backed Tinubu without abandoning their respective parties’ candidates for other elective positions.
“In 2023, core leadership G5, we said we are going to support Mr. President. But we never said that all our candidates in other elections will fail. We never said so,” Wike said.
He added: “Particularly in Rivers State, we supported Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; he won the presidential election. But in National Assembly election and the state election, PDP won.”
Wike said the 2023 experience demonstrated that voters could support different political parties at different levels of an election, dismissing suggestions that the Rainbow Coalition would create confusion among the electorate.
He argued that a politician could support Tinubu for president while contesting a National Assembly or State House of Assembly seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Who will be more confused? Is it not my own candidates that will even be more confused when I’ve told them to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and then again, they now go back to support other candidates?” he asked.
‘Governors have their own interests’
Wike alleged that some APC governors were opposing the Rainbow Coalition because they wanted to influence the emergence of lawmakers who would determine the next leadership of the National Assembly.
According to him, the governors want to use the party’s primaries to determine which senators and House of Representatives members emerge and subsequently influence their choice of Senate President and Speaker.
“APC in their ongoing party primaries, the governors, in their own wisdom, believe that they should be able now to put senators or House of Reps members who they will dictate to who will become the next Senate President or the Speaker,” he alleged.
Wike also accused Uzodimma of positioning himself for the Senate presidency after leaving office as Imo State governor.
He said the concern among some politicians was that candidates who failed to secure APC tickets could contest on alternative platforms, including the PDP, and, if elected, might not support candidates favoured by the governors for National Assembly leadership.
He said: “The fear now is that, if they run and they win, it means that they’re not going to support him to be the Senate President.”
Wike stressed that his opposition to Uzodimma’s reported ambition was political rather than personal.
“I will never support a character of Hope Uzodinma to be Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” he said.
The FCT minister further insisted that the Rainbow Coalition was not an APC structure and was not intended to undermine the ruling party.
He maintained that politicians should be free to support Tinubu’s presidential bid while retaining their party platforms for governorship and legislative contests.
“Where do you see that happen? Then, they will call me to tell me that we produce candidates of their party. Come on! Who does that?” he said.
Wike Rejects ‘Nine States’ Deal
Wike also dismissed allegations that President Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to him or the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding to the claim, he challenged those making the allegation to identify the states allegedly covered by such an agreement.
“The nine states, did they tell you the nine states?” he asked the interviewer.
He said Nigerians should be presented with facts rather than speculation.
“Let us help Nigerians. Let’s get the facts. Who are… which are those states? Tell us that they said the President agreed with me that he’s conceding nine states,” Wike said.
The minister maintained that his political focus was on supporting Tinubu’s re-election and promoting the administration’s policies and achievements.
‘I am selling Tinubu’s record’
Wike said his role in the emerging political arrangement was to mobilise support for Tinubu across political divides, stressing that his campaign would be based on the President’s record in office.
“Mr. President is showing his postcard. We are selling Mr. President what he’s been doing, why he should be re-elected,” he said.
He cited the Federal Government’s support for state police as one of the issues he intended to highlight in making the case for Tinubu’s re-election.
According to Wike, the President’s position on state police represents a response to longstanding calls for changes to Nigeria’s security architecture.
His comments came against the backdrop of mounting disagreement between him and some APC governors over political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections.
While the Progressive Governors’ Forum has maintained that its members would support Tinubu and APC candidates and would not endorse arrangements capable of weakening the party or its candidates, Wike has insisted that his commitment is specifically to Tinubu’s re-election.
He has also maintained that supporting the President does not amount to abandoning PDP candidates in governorship and legislative elections.
