By Dennis Okechukwu
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress over their opposition to his proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike described the APC governors as “politically lazy”, arguing that his decision to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election does not mean he has abandoned the Peoples Democratic Party or that other political parties should stop fielding candidates in other elections.
The minister spoke during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Tuesday, shortly after the APC Governors Forum, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, rejected political arrangements they considered capable of weakening the APC or its candidates.
The governors had resolved that they would not participate in, support or endorse any alliance that could undermine Tinubu’s re-election bid or adversely affect APC candidates at any level.
Reacting to the position, Wike said: “They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse.”
He maintained that his political disagreements with some governors did not begin with the Rainbow Coalition, recalling that he faced opposition during his tenure as Rivers State governor and later as FCT minister.
“This thing did not start today. It started at ministerial position. They were not happy that I was Minister of FCT. Also, they were unhappy when I was governor,” he said.
Wike said his support for Tinubu remained unchanged but insisted that backing the President in the presidential election was separate from the activities of his political party.
“I have said I will support the President and I am still supporting him. What has that got to do with my party?” he asked.
The former Rivers governor also argued that Nigerian voters could support one party’s presidential candidate while voting for candidates of other parties in legislative and governorship elections.
He cited the 2023 elections in states including Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi, where voting patterns differed between the presidential and National Assembly contests.
Wike also referred to the political situations involving governors Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, Ademola Adeleke of Osun and Alex Otti of Abia, arguing that support for a presidential candidate does not necessarily prevent political parties from presenting candidates for other positions.
The minister has separately clarified that the Rainbow Coalition is a multi-party platform focused on mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election and is not an APC structure.
He has also said he never promised that the PDP would refrain from fielding candidates for governorship, National Assembly or state Assembly elections.
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly elections,” Wike said.
The controversy followed the APC Governors Forum’s declaration that its campaign commitment would remain exclusively focused on APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Wike said his support for Tinubu dated back to the 2023 presidential election, when he and other members of the then-G5 governors backed the APC candidate, citing his belief at the time that the presidency should return to the South after Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.