Why APC governors oppose Rainbow Coalition, by Wike - The Guardian Nigeria News

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has alleged that the criticism by some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors of the Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections is driven by their desire to control the emergence of the next leadership of the National Assembly.

This came as former South-East spokesman to Tinubu, Denge Onoh, warned that the political activities of Wike’s Rainbow Coalition could affect the contest for governorship and National Assembly seats in the 2027 elections.

But Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Adeniyi Adegbonmire, said the political alliance linked to Wike has no place in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike, while speaking on TVC’s ‘Journalists Hangout’ programme in Abuja yesterday, amid a growing spat with some APC governors over the proposed political arrangement, specifically mentioned the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo, and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, among those opposed to the coalition.

The development followed the position of APC governors that they would support President Bola Tinubu and candidates of the ruling party in the 2027 elections, rather than arrangements they believe could undermine the party or its candidates.

Wike, however, maintained that his support for Tinubu’s re-election was distinct from contests for governorship and legislative seats, arguing that politicians could support the President while contesting other elections on different party platforms.

He cited the experience of the G5 governors in the 2023 presidential election, when members of the group supported Tinubu while their parties’ candidates contested legislative and state elections.

“Particularly in Rivers State, we supported Tinubu, and he won the presidential election. But in the National Assembly election and the state elections, PDP won,” he added.

Wike said he was disappointed by claims that the coalition could destabilise the ruling party, insisting that its objective was simply to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.

“My concern is the President’s re-election for a second term.

I made it known from the onset that I was going to support the President with all my might,” he said.

The minister recalled that he and other G5 governors had supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election without entering an arrangement with the APC, questioning why similar concerns were not raised at the time.

According to him, it was premature for politicians to begin making plans for an election several years away, stressing that the first consideration should be whether one would be alive when the time comes.

ONOH told journalists in Abuja that the disagreement between Wike and APC governors over the coalition required the attention of the President and the APC leadership.

The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, recently said its members would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the APC or affecting its candidates in the 2027 elections.

Wike said he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not field candidates for governorship and legislative elections in 2027.

Onoh, however, argued that the coalition’s involvement in other contests could give it influence beyond the presidential election.

He said: “By preparing to field PDP candidates across PDP and other peripheral platforms for governorship, Senate and House of Representatives seats ahead of the 2027 elections, Wike is building an autonomous political empire under the nose of the ruling party by playing the 2027 numbers game aimed at stripping APC of legislative and state autonomy.”

According to him, a strong showing by candidates supported by the coalition in National Assembly elections could create a bloc capable of influencing the choice of principal officers, consideration of budgets and screening of executive nominees.

Onoh also warned that victories in governorship contests could enable the coalition to build political structures at state level, which he said could weaken the APC’s grassroots organisation.

ADEGBONMIRE, who represents Ondo Central Senatorial District, after receiving a rousing welcome from supporters in Akure, urged APC members not to associate with the coalition, saying the party remained united in Ondo despite grievances arising from its recent primaries.

The senator said disagreements following party primaries were normal and would not prevent the APC from working together ahead of the elections.

On the reported involvement of APC members in the coalition, Adegbonmire said he was not aware of any party member working against the APC.

He expressed confidence in the APC’s chances in Ondo, saying the party had no serious opposition in the state.