A Political disagreement between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and governors of the All Progressives Congress has intensified as the ruling party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The dispute centres on Wike’s proposed Rainbow Coalition, which he describes as a broad platform to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election. Wike maintains that participants from different political parties can back the President while retaining the freedom to field their own candidates in other contests.
APC governors, led by Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman Hope Uzodimma, have rejected the arrangement. They argue that any structure supporting Tinubu must also endorse APC candidates at all levels, warning that a parallel coalition could weaken the party and affect its electoral prospects.
The disagreement became public after Wike criticised some governors as politically inactive. In response, the governors reaffirmed their commitment to campaign solely for APC candidates alongside the President.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council has called on President Tinubu to intervene, describing the matter as an internal difference among allies and urging both sides to focus on constructive engagement rather than public exchanges.
The episode places the President in a sensitive position as he balances the influence of a senior cabinet member operating outside the APC with the party’s governors, who control key grassroots networks. How the dispute is managed is expected to influence internal cohesion and coalition dynamics in the lead-up to 2027.