President Bola Tinubu is set to intervene in the growing face-off between All Progressives Congress governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 elections. The intervention is expected to take place in France where the President is currently on vacation.
A senior presidential aide familiar with the development told The Punch that Tinubu was expected to engage the parties before the end of the week in a bid to resolve their differences and prevent the rift from affecting the ruling party's chances in 2027.
Why Wike and APC Governors Are At War
The crisis is linked to Wike's Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party initiative promoted by the FCT Minister to support President Tinubu's re-election in 2027. Wike, who is a leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party but serving in the APC-led Federal Government, has been building the coalition in Rivers State and across the country.
“The quarrel is trickling down to states and local government areas. Both camps agree that President Tinubu must return in 2027.”
Wike alleged during a recent media chat that Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma were behind his recent political challenges. According to Wike, the governors’ opposition was linked to the growing national spread of his Rainbow Coalition, which he said was providing a platform for politicians seeking to challenge APC candidates in governorship and senatorial elections.
APC Governors Respond to Wike's Coalition
In an apparent response to Wike, Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum, said after the forum’s meeting in Abuja on Monday night that APC governors would not support any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election or weakening the party ahead of the 2027 elections. Uzodimma stressed that the governors’ campaign commitment was exclusively to APC candidates at all levels.
Wike however defended the coalition, maintaining that the alliance was designed to support Tinubu’s presidential bid while strengthening the PDP in other electoral contests against the APC. The APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesman Ima Niboro has also urged President Tinubu to intervene quickly.
Sources at the Presidency said the President is displeased with the public exchange and wants the matter settled internally before it escalates to state and local government levels.
What This Means For 2027 Elections
Political observers say the outcome of Tinubu's intervention will determine the shape of alliances ahead of 2027. If Wike's Rainbow Coalition is allowed to coexist with APC structures, it could boost Tinubu's votes from non-APC strongholds. If blocked, it may push Wike's loyalists to work against some APC governorship candidates.
M2NICE Analysis: This rift is about 2027 control of state structures. Wike is testing a new model of supporting Tinubu for President while keeping PDP for other positions. APC governors see this as a threat to their second-term tickets and senatorial ambitions. Tinubu's France meeting will be a balancing act to keep both sides loyal to his re-election.
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