2027: APC Governors Reject Wike’sRainbow Coalition As Political Tensions Rise

Powerful blocs within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reportedly raised concerns over the National Rainbow Coalition associated with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, warning that the political arrangement could undermine the party’s candidates and President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in the 2027 general elections.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Wike, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has repeatedly maintained that the coalition is focused on supporting Tinubu’s re-election. The minister has also argued that opposition to his political activities is largely driven by his decision to back the President.

However, some APC figures and individuals close to the party’s governors are reportedly worried that the coalition’s decision to support candidates contesting on alternative party platforms could create confusion among voters and lead to a division of votes during the 2027 elections.

The concerns have reportedly become particularly noticeable in states including Rivers, Kwara, Gombe and Cross River.

Speaking during a media interaction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Wike accused Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, as well as Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, of leading opposition against him.

Wike claimed that AbdulRazaq had criticised him for supporting political candidates who were not aligned with the Kwara governor’s preferred choices. He maintained that rather than attacking him, AbdulRazaq should acknowledge his role in providing a political platform for some aggrieved APC members who moved to the PDP instead of joining groups opposed to Tinubu.

The FCT minister also revisited his political differences with Uzodimma, alleging that the Imo governor had previously declined to support him despite assistance he claimed to have provided.

Despite the disagreements, Wike insisted that his major political objective remained securing another term for President Tinubu. He said he had never concealed his position and challenged those accusing him of working against the APC to identify the support they had provided him during his own political struggles.

Meanwhile, sources close to APC governors have reportedly expressed concern that the coalition could create uncertainty among voters and ultimately reduce the number of votes secured by Tinubu in some states.

Individuals familiar with the matter also claimed that the President had been informed about the potential impact of the coalition on his performance in some parts of the country.

The concerns were reportedly discussed by some governors during a recent meeting in Abuja, particularly amid claims that the coalition has backed candidates contesting National Assembly seats under the PDP alongside the 2027 presidential election.

APC figures fear that the arrangement could produce a situation where voters support Tinubu for president but vote for opposition candidates in legislative contests.

According to the sources, such a voting pattern could be particularly significant in rural areas where voters often tend to support candidates from the same political platform across multiple ballots.

They further argued that coalition supporters could privately mobilise voters to back PDP candidates while maintaining public support for Tinubu, a development they believe could hurt both APC candidates and the President.

The sources referenced previous elections in which voters supported a presidential candidate but rejected candidates from the same party at other levels.

They pointed to the 2023 elections in Oyo State and the 2003 elections in the South-West as examples of how split-ticket voting can significantly alter the fortunes of political parties and candidates.

The concerns have also reportedly extended to the political strategy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who has continued to encourage voters to support ADC candidates across different levels.

An APC source reportedly warned that Tinubu could face difficulties if his support base is weakened in regions outside his strongest areas, particularly in the North-Central and South-East.

The political relationship involving Wike has also generated concern in Kwara State, where former Senate President Bukola Saraki is reportedly working with the FCT minister. Saraki remains a major political rival of Governor AbdulRazaq, fueling questions within APC circles about how a coalition that claims to support Tinubu could simultaneously back candidates challenging members of the ruling party.

However, sources reportedly stressed that the situation goes beyond Kwara, with similar political alignments said to be emerging in Gombe, Cross River, Zamfara and other states.

In Cross River, individuals associated with the PDP, Labour Party, the Obi political movement and ADC supporters have reportedly formed an alliance aimed at challenging Governor Bassey Otu.

The development is said to have unsettled some APC governors, who are reportedly pushing for the intervention of the party leadership.

The governors are concerned that the coalition could weaken APC candidates at various levels and encourage a voting pattern where supporters back Tinubu for president but reject APC candidates contesting legislative and state elections.

An APC source therefore urged the party leadership to respond quickly, warning that the emerging political arrangement could pose a significant challenge to Tinubu’s re-election prospects if left unaddressed.