2027: Wike feud splits APC governors as Uzodimma, AbdulRazaq lead opposing camp

ABUJA — The political disagreement involving FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and some All Progressives Congress, APC, governors has deepened, with the party’s 31 state governors reportedly divided over the dispute ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the centre of the disagreement are Wike on one side and the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, Hope Uzodimma, alongside the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on the other.

While some governors are believed to be sympathetic to Wike, others have thrown their weight behind Uzodimma and AbdulRazaq.

A senior APC source said Wike still had friends among the governors despite the growing opposition against him.

“I can tell you that not all the governors are opposed to the minister. Many of them were his friends before now. The minister was a governor too. Even if everyone turns against him, you know that he has the Adamawa governor and some others with him,” the source said.

According to findings, Adamawa’s Ahmadu Fintiri, Akwa Ibom’s Umo Eno, Edo’s Monday Okpebholo, Lagos’ Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Kogi’s Ahmed Ododo are among governors reportedly sympathetic to Wike’s position.

Those said to be firmly opposed to the minister include Uzodimma, AbdulRazaq, Kaduna’s Uba Sani and Ogun’s Dapo Abiodun.

Other governors, sources said, have yet to take sides and are waiting for President Bola Tinubu’s return before deciding their position.

The dispute has been brewing within the governing party for several months but recently became more pronounced, bringing Wike into open confrontation with a group of APC governors.

The development has also raised questions about the management of competing political interests within the ruling party as the 2027 elections approach.

At a closed-door meeting in Abuja chaired by Uzodimma, the PGF reportedly agreed that APC governors would support only official APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

The position was seen as a rejection of candidates backed by an external political coalition, apparently referring to Wike’s Rainbow Coalition.

The governors reportedly argued that the coalition’s support for National Assembly and other candidates contesting on rival party platforms could create confusion among voters and potentially affect Tinubu’s re-election effort.

Wike has rejected that explanation, saying the opposition to his coalition by Uzodimma and AbdulRazaq was motivated by other interests that had not been disclosed.

He specifically linked Uzodimma’s opposition to the Imo governor’s reported ambition to become Senate President.

Wike has also attacked AbdulRazaq during the dispute, accusing him of repeatedly holding him responsible for political problems in Kwara State. He also questioned claims that he was sponsoring candidates in the state with the aim of controlling the legislature.

As the disagreement widens, some party leaders have urged the contending sides to exercise restraint.

The President’s return is therefore being closely watched by party stakeholders, with sources saying it could help determine the position of governors who have so far remained undecided and how the APC leadership responds to the dispute ahead of 2027.

Meanwhile, sources said anti-Wike elements on Tuesday promoted claims that some aggrieved governors were considering working with other opposition presidential candidates. According to the sources, the narrative was intended to put pressure on the President to act against Wike.

Other sources told Vanguard that several governors had no disagreement with Wike or his coalition, particularly in states where he was not sponsoring candidates.

Wike: New strategy deployed against Atiku, Obi in 2027

Separately, Wike yesterday said a new political strategy had been put in place to counter former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, in the 2027 elections.

The minister made the disclosure after inspecting several projects, including Road S1 in Kaura District, Collector Road C2 in Life Camp, Arterial Road N16 in Gwarinpa, the IBB Golf Course and the Gudu, Jereton Mariere Street, project near Apo Legislative Quarters.

Wike also used the occasion to explain comments he previously made about the 2023 presidential election.

He said the PDP’s G5 bloc, which included him, had adopted a deliberate strategy during the 2023 election to reduce Atiku’s support in the South-South.

According to Wike, the group considered Atiku, rather than Obi, its principal political threat at the time.

“Our strategy was, make sure that you vote for Obi to win in order to deny Atiku the votes,” he said.

He said the South-South was traditionally controlled by the PDP and argued that Atiku would have emerged victorious if voters in the region had voted according to party affiliation.

The FCT minister also dismissed claims that the strategy involved manipulating the election result in Rivers State.

“Did anybody tender any result from Rivers State that, ‘look, this is the result, we won’? Did anybody? It’s unfair. It’s unfortunate there’s nothing we can do,” he said.

Wike stressed that political groups, including the G5, entered the election with their own strategies.

“We have our strategy in this election, and whether you like it or not, it’s not for us to let the cat out of the bag,” he said.

He further said Atiku was his primary political opponent at the time, rather than Obi, and argued that the perception of Obi’s political strength was largely influenced by social media.

“When you are strategising to win an election, you look at a lot of factors: who is my threat? If this is my threat, this is a lesser threat, and I know what to do so as to make sure that the vote of my major threat does not increase.

“You cannot rig an election where you are not popular. You cannot If you try that, then you see what happens; people will resist it,” Wike said.

Wike backs Tinubu for 2027, says PDP should still contest elections

Wike also reiterated his support for Tinubu’s bid for another term, saying he would be wrong to support another candidate against the President after backing him in 2023.

He nevertheless maintained that his position should not prevent the PDP from contesting elections at the state and other sub-national levels.

The minister said he remained committed to the PDP and would continue working with others toward rebuilding the party.

“After supporting President Tinubu in 2023, it will be wrong of me to support another person to face him when he is seeking re-election, and I have made this clear before now.

“But that should not prevent the PDP from contesting elections at the sub-national levels,” he added.

Wike made the comments when members of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, led by its chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, visited his Abuja residence to sympathise with him over the death of the party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih.

Ohuabunwa said the delegation also came to encourage Wike, adding that the former Rivers State governor had been truthful in his criticisms of the party.

“We are here to solidarise with him, encourage him and tell him to remain focused. Because everything he’s been saying about the party is nothing but the truth,” Ohuabunwa said.

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