The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum has rejected any political arrangement that could weaken the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the governors, they would not support alliances that could affect the chances of APC candidates or President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
The position is seen as a direct setback to the political activities surrounding the “Rainbow Coalition” associated with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Wike, a former Rivers State governor and prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been mobilising politicians across party lines in support of Tinubu’s re-election.
The minister has repeatedly argued that the coalition is not designed to work against the President or the APC.
Instead, he has presented it as a broader political movement that would bring together politicians from different parties to secure Tinubu’s victory in 2027.
But the APC governors have drawn a line between supporting Tinubu and supporting candidates who may contest against APC candidates in other elections.Political party analysis
The governors reached their position after a closed-door meeting in Abuja.
Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, announced the resolution after the meeting.
He said the governors remained committed to the APC and would not participate in any political arrangement that could create divided loyalty within the party.
“The APC governors forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the reelection of Mr. President, weakening the APC, or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodimma said.
In a related development, Politics Nigeria recalls that top APC Blocs earlier rejected the Rainbow Coalition by the FCT Minister Wike.
However, Wike had recently accused Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of working against his political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.Nigerian political analysis
The FCT minister made the allegation during a media engagement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu should not stop him from working with politicians who may belong to other parties.
Wike has also questioned the opposition to his coalition, insisting that his political activities are aimed at ensuring that Tinubu wins the 2027 presidential election.
“You see, the problem with people, they want them to be seen, that they are the people working for the President. I don’t do that,” Wike said while discussing his disagreement with some APC governors.Nigerian newspaper subscription
He specifically mentioned Uzodimma and AbdulRazaq as two governors who, according to him, have been unhappy with his political activities.
Wike also accused AbdulRazaq of leading opposition against him in Kwara State.
“Take for example, Kwara, he has been the one championing this campaign against me everywhere. Yes, I have confronted him too. I don’t talk about what I cannot defend,” he said.
The disagreement is largely connected to how the Rainbow Coalition intends to operate during the 2027 elections.Political party analysis
The coalition brings together politicians from different political platforms. In Rivers State, the arrangement has involved members of the PDP, APC, Labour Party and Action Alliance.
Wike has said the coalition would collectively decide on candidates for some elective positions.
In May, he stated that the coalition had not selected its candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.
“The Rainbow Coalition, we have not chosen who will be the governor of Rivers State,” Wike said.
He also maintained that the coalition’s major decision was its support for Tinubu.
At the national level, however, the political arrangement has raised concerns among APC stakeholders.
The major issue is how supporters of the coalition would vote if candidates supported by the group contest under different political parties.
For instance, a voter could be asked to support Tinubu for president while also backing a candidate from another party for the Senate, House of Representatives or governorship.
APC governors fear that such an arrangement could affect the party’s candidates and weaken its structures across the states.
The governors’ position therefore seeks to ensure that support for Tinubu is matched by support for APC candidates at other levels.
Wike recently said he would not sit back and allow politicians such as Atiku Abubakar or Peter Obi to defeat Tinubu in the presidential election.Presidential candidate profiles
He has also described the emerging alliance as a larger political movement capable of bringing together politicians who may not belong to the same party.
In August, Wike said a “larger rainbow coalition” was emerging around Tinubu.
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