Fresh crisis is rocking the All Progressives Congress as party leaders, including some aggrieved governors, are now considering alternative options ahead of the 2027 presidential election over the political activities of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Sources within the ruling party who spoke to Punch on condition of anonymity said many APC leaders and governors now see Wike as a potential threat to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, despite Wike’s claim that he is mobilising support for Tinubu.
APC Governors Unhappy Over Wike's Rainbow Coalition
The rift worsened following the emergence of Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party platform which Wike said is meant to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s second term. Wike, who is still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party serving in an APC-led government, has been promoting the coalition in Rivers and other states.
However, the Progressive Governors Forum led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has publicly distanced itself from the arrangement, declaring on September 15 that its members will not support any political alliance capable of weakening the APC or affecting its candidates. Sources named the governors of Ogun, Kwara and Imo as among those most displeased.
“Many of them are looking at alternatives. The governors are considering the fact that Wike has claimed that he has the power to deliver the President, even more than the number of governors supporting the President.”
The quote, from a top APC insider who spoke to Punch, shows how deeply the governors feel disrespected by a minister who is still in the PDP. The source warned that if Wike continues, many APC leaders may simply stay aloof in 2027 or even support other presidential candidates.
Tinubu Yet To Intervene As Tensions Rise
Another party source revealed that the APC National Working Committee is currently waiting for President Tinubu’s position before deciding on the next line of action. Some APC leaders expect the President to act quickly to stop the dispute from escalating.
Meanwhile, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, urged Wike to support the PDP’s presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, instead of backing Tinubu, saying it would help end the current administration. But Wike has maintained that his support is strictly for Tinubu and not for APC governorship candidates.
Analysts Warn APC Needs Both Sides
Political analyst and former President of the Nigerian Political Science Association, Prof. Hassan Saliu, and former APC Organising Secretary, Eze Duru, said President Tinubu needs both Wike and the governors to win in 2027, noting that the party has always depended on support from outside the APC to secure victory.
M2NICE Editorial Note: This rift is significant because it pits Tinubu’s strongest outside ally against his core party structure. If APC governors withdraw their support machinery, Wike’s Rainbow Coalition alone may not be enough to deliver key states. The outcome depends on whether Tinubu can balance both camps before campaigns fully start.
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