Wike Fires Back at APC Governors Over 2027 Rainbow Coalition

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has hit back at APC governors over their rejection of his proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing them as “politically lazy.”

The response followed a position by the APC Governors Forum, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, that its members would not support or endorse political alliances that could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election or weaken APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Tuesday, Wike argued that his decision to support Tinubu should not be interpreted as abandoning the PDP or preventing other parties from contesting elections at the state and federal levels.

“They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse,” he said.

Wike said the opposition to his political activities was not a new development, recalling that he had faced similar disagreements during his tenure as Rivers State governor and subsequently 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.

According to the minister, those criticising his political activities might have a different perspective if they had access to the information available to him.

“If they know what I know, they would not come out to shout,” he said.

Wike also insisted that his support for Tinubu was specifically about the presidency and did not amount to abandoning 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.

He pointed to the political realities involving governors Chukwuma Soludo, Ademola Adeleke and Alex Otti, saying support for a presidential candidate does not necessarily prevent parties from presenting candidates for other elective positions.

“Take Soludo, Adeleke and Otti. Does it mean that their parties will not present other candidates? This thing they are saying does not have any basis,” Wike said.

The former Rivers governor also revisited his decision to support Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, saying he believed it was the South’s turn to produce the President after Buhari’s administration.

“Recall that in 2023, as far as the President is concerned, it is my belief that it was the time of the South and so it would be unfair that it goes back to the North,” he said.

Wike has separately described the Rainbow Coalition as a multi-party platform designed to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election, stressing that it is not an APC structure.

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