morganabLE politics/elections
While some APC stakeholders have acknowledged Wike’s support for Tinubu, others have argued that his attempt to operate a separate political structure outside the party framework undermines the cohesion and clarity needed ahead of the next election cycle.
KaNo—
Several state chapters of the All Progressives Congress have rejected the Rainbow Coalition being promoted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, with party leaders insisting that the former Rivers State governor must formally defect to the ruling party if he is genuinely committed to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The position of the state chapters follows a renewed confrontation between Wike and APC governors over the political structure he is assembling ahead of the 2027 general elections, a development that has exposed cracks within the President’s political camp.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, currently serves in an APC-led Federal Government, having been appointed FCT minister by President Tinubu after the 2023 general elections.
Despite his role in the administration, he has retained his membership in the opposition PDP, a situation that has continued to generate controversy within political circles.
While some APC stakeholders have acknowledged Wike’s support for Tinubu, others have argued that his attempt to operate a separate political structure outside the party framework undermines the cohesion and clarity needed ahead of the next election cycle.
The latest disagreement was triggered by Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, who called on Wike to clearly define his political allegiance by either joining the APC or remaining outside it.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Inside Sources on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Lawal said the position of APC governors on the matter remained unchanged.
“Our message is very, very clear: be on one side. You can’t be on two sides. If you’re in APC, please come out and support APC. Not you’re supporting APC here, and you’re supporting other political parties somewhere else. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not done anywhere,” he said.
The governor stressed that the ruling party expected total commitment from those claiming to support its agenda, adding that partial alignment could weaken the party’s structure ahead of the elections.
“And that is why we maintain our stand, and it is very clear; the message is very clear. He can speak; he can say whatever he wants to say, but our position has been very, very clear: APC all the way from head to toe,” Lawal added.
When asked whether the governors were asking Wike to defect, he responded in the affirmative, questioning the logic of maintaining dual political loyalties.
“Exactly. What’s the essence?” he asked.
Lawal further disclosed that he intended to raise the issue with President Tinubu upon his return to the country, noting that clarity was necessary to avoid confusion within the party.
“It’s something that I will take up with the President when he comes back. So, let there be a very, very clear line where this guy belongs to. It’s either he’s in APC or he’s out. It’s simple. And I go with my brothers, the governors,” he stated.
Across several states, APC officials echoed similar sentiments, rejecting the Rainbow Coalition and urging Wike to formally align with the party.
In Imo State, the APC Publicity Secretary, Jones Onwuasoanya, accused the FCT minister of attempting to maintain an ambiguous political position, which he described as untenable.
“Decency demands that an individual who claims so much allegiance to the philosophies and programmes of a political party should fully align with that political party, rather than playing hide and seek with his loyalty to the party,” Onwuasoanya said.
He added that if Wike was sincere about supporting Tinubu, he should do so within the framework of the APC and across all levels of elections.
“If Wike is sincere about his support for President Tinubu, then he should join the APC and begin to campaign for our party across all positions rather than being selective,” he stated.
The Imo APC spokesman also dismissed the relevance of the Rainbow Coalition in the state, insisting that the ruling party remained dominant.
“As long as the APC in Imo State is concerned, there is nothing like a Rainbow Coalition or whatever it might be called. The APC is the only viable political platform in Imo State and Imolites are fully aligned with us,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the party’s chances in the 2027 elections, adding that no alternative structure posed a threat to its electoral prospects.
In Gombe State, the APC Publicity Secretary, Murtala Usman, similarly rejected the coalition idea, warning that it could create confusion among party members and stakeholders.
“My opinion is the same as the people who are advising him to join APC because APC doesn’t need any rainbow coalition for now,” Usman said.
He noted that the emergence of parallel political structures could complicate party coordination, especially at the state level.
“That rainbow coalition will cause some confusion in the APC because those who are stakeholders in the APC, particularly in some states, will find it very difficult to handle,” he added.
Usman also pointed out that recent defections from the PDP to the APC had already created internal challenges, which could be worsened by additional political arrangements outside the party.
“So Wike should switch to APC completely. Since he is doing the work of APC, let him be a full member, not a partial member,” he said.
The Ondo State chapter of the APC also opposed the coalition, particularly its reported plan to support Tinubu for president while backing candidates from other parties in governorship and legislative elections.
The state party secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, described the arrangement as unacceptable, stressing that the APC was focused on securing victories across all elective positions.
“We are disturbed that the coalition would only support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the general elections but field candidates for other positions,” he said.
According to Kalejaiye, the party’s objective was to mobilise support for all its candidates, not just the presidential flag bearer.
“To us in Ondo State, support for the candidates of the ruling party must be total; our party is committed to mobilising votes for the President, three senatorial, nine representatives, and 26 House of Assembly candidates. That is not negotiable,” he stated.
He warned that endorsing candidates from different parties on the same ballot could confuse voters and complicate the electoral process.
The growing resistance to Wike’s coalition underscores a broader debate within the APC over the strategy for consolidating support ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly as political realignments continue across party lines.
