Rainbow Coalition: Wike Fires Back at Uzodimma, APC Governors

Rainbow Coalition: Wike Fires Back at Uzodimma, APC Governors

 

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has launched a fresh verbal attack on Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, following the APC governors’ rejection of his Rainbow Coalition.

The latest political exchange has deepened the disagreement over the shape of the 2027 political contest, with Wike insisting that his coalition is focused on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu while allowing other political parties to field candidates in governorship and legislative elections.

The APC governors, however, have maintained that they would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the party or adversely affecting its candidates.

Wike’s criticism became particularly sharp when he addressed Uzodimma’s position on the coalition.

The FCT Minister said the Imo governor was “lucky” that he was not a member of the APC, adding that he would not accept what he described as certain conduct within the ruling party.

Wike also rejected any suggestion that Uzodimma could determine whether he would join the APC, saying that if he ever decided to join the party, the Imo governor would not be the person to decide the matter.

The remarks followed a declaration by the APC Governors Forum that its members would not participate in, support or endorse any alliance or political arrangement that could undermine President Tinubu’s re-election, weaken the APC or adversely affect any of the party’s candidates.

Uzodimma made the position known after a meeting of APC governors in Abuja.

Wike has drawn a clear distinction between his support for Tinubu and support for APC candidates in other elections.

He said he had never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party would withdraw candidates from governorship, National Assembly or State House of Assembly elections in 2027.

His position is that members of the Rainbow Coalition can support Tinubu for the presidency while retaining their political affiliations and supporting candidates of their choice in other contests.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President,” Wike said.

He argued that Tinubu would not be contesting governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives or State Assembly elections, suggesting that support for the President should not automatically be interpreted as support for every APC candidate.

The APC governors have taken a different position.

Through the Progressive Governors Forum, they said they remained committed to the APC and its candidates and would not endorse political arrangements that could create competing interests or weaken the party’s electoral structure.

The governors’ position has placed Wike’s Rainbow Coalition at the centre of an emerging disagreement over how support for Tinubu should operate across party lines in the 2027 elections.

Wike also questioned Uzodimma’s argument by referring to the voting pattern in Imo State during the 2023 presidential election.

He argued that voters could support a presidential candidate while voting for candidates from another party in legislative contests.

Wike has used the 2023 voting pattern to reinforce his argument that political support does not necessarily have to follow a single party line across all electoral contests.

The exchange between Wike and Uzodimma adds another layer to the political debate surrounding the 2027 elections.

While the APC governors are emphasising party structure and support for APC candidates, Wike is advocating a cross-party arrangement centred specifically on Tinubu’s presidential bid.

The disagreement has therefore moved beyond a simple dispute over party membership and into a broader argument about whether politicians from different parties can jointly support a presidential candidate while maintaining separate positions in other elections.

For now, Wike says he remains in the PDP and has not promised to join the APC, while continuing to campaign for Tinubu’s re-election through the Rainbow Coalition.

 

Rainbow Coalition: Wike Fires Back at Uzodimma, APC Governors