Wike Defends Rainbow Coalition, Accuses APC Governors of Political Calculations

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the proposed Rainbow Coalition against concerns from some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors that the alliance could weaken the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Wike, speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, said the coalition was primarily focused on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election and would not prevent politicians from supporting candidates of their preferred parties in governorship and legislative elections.

His comments came days after the APC Governors Forum said it would not support any political alliance capable of undermining the party, its candidates or Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, had said the APC governors would exclusively support candidates contesting under the party’s platform.

Wike, however, argued that supporting Tinubu for president could coexist with backing candidates from other parties in state and National Assembly elections. He cited the experience of the G5 governors during the 2023 elections, when members supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while their respective parties contested other elections.

“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,” Wike said.

The FCT minister also alleged that some APC governors were opposed to the coalition because of concerns about the composition of the next National Assembly and the emergence of its presiding officers.

According to Wike, politicians who fail to secure APC tickets could contest on alternative platforms, potentially win their elections and decline to support candidates favoured by some governors for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Wike specifically alleged that Uzodimma was positioning himself to become Senate President after leaving office. He said the Imo governor was seeking to influence the selection of lawmakers who would eventually determine the leadership of the National Assembly.

Uzodimma has not, in the material provided, publicly confirmed the ambition Wike attributed to him. Wike also said he would not support Uzodimma for the position, declaring that his opposition was based on the political calculations surrounding the proposed National Assembly leadership.

The minister maintained that his own objective was to support Tinubu’s re-election rather than undermine the APC. He said the Rainbow Coalition would continue to mobilise support for the President across party lines while allowing politicians to retain their affiliations and support candidates in other elections.

Wike also rejected reports that Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the Peoples Democratic Party or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement. He challenged those circulating the claim to identify the states allegedly covered by such an agreement.

The FCT minister said Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition and understood his position on the political arrangement. He argued that the coalition’s activities were consistent with his decision to support the President while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The APC Governors Forum has maintained that its position is intended to protect the ruling party, its candidates and Tinubu’s re-election campaign. The competing positions have opened a fresh debate over whether cross-party support for the presidential election can coexist with party-based campaigns for governorship and legislative contests in 2027.