2027: Orji Kalu Urges APC Governors, Wike to End Feud, Unite Behind Tinubu

Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to set aside their differences and work together ahead of the 2027 general election.

The call follows a disagreement over the Rainbow Coalition, a political platform associated with Wike, which APC governors have opposed over concerns that its candidates could affect the party’s candidates in several states.

The governors have argued that the coalition’s decision to field candidates in some states could undermine APC candidates, including President Bola Tinubu’s bid for another term in office.

Wike, however, has maintained that the coalition fully supports Tinubu’s re-election. He has also criticised some APC governors, accusing them of failing to adequately support Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.

Reacting in a video shared on his official Facebook page on Friday, Kalu said he understood the governors’ objection to alternative candidates being sponsored in their states.

“Some governors have a very good case, I cannot be a governor and you are sponsoring an alternative candidate in my state. I will not allow that to happen,” Kalu said.

Despite backing the governors’ position on the issue, Kalu urged both sides to avoid allowing the disagreement to disrupt their broader political objectives ahead of 2027.

“I appeal to the governors as Minister Nyesom Wike who use to be governor. We should not quarrel at this time of our campaign. Campaign is not done in Abuja so we should go back to the grassroot,” he said.

Kalu called on both sides to “pull their swords back”, arguing that the APC Governors’ Forum and Wike each have political strengths that could be useful to the party.

“We need the governors’ forum very well and we also need Minister Wike very well. I think the governors have their own strengths and Minister Wike has his own strengths too,” he added.

The disagreement highlights the competing interests within the wider political camp backing Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election, with the question of how coalition candidates operate at state level remaining a point of contention.