Wike Accuses APC Governors Of Seeking Control Of National Assembly Leadership

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that the opposition of some All Progressives Congress governors to the proposed Rainbow Coalition is linked to their political calculations over the leadership of the National Assembly after the 2027 elections.

Wike made the allegation on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he defended the coalition and rejected concerns that it could weaken the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The FCT minister said the coalition was primarily intended to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election. He argued that politicians could support Tinubu for president while backing candidates of their preferred parties in governorship and legislative elections.

He cited the 2023 elections as an example, recalling that members of the G5 group supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while their parties contested other positions.

“In 2023, core leadership G5, we said we are going to support Mr President. But we never said that all our candidates in other elections will fail. We never said so,” Wike said.

He added, “Particularly in Rivers State, we supported Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; he won the presidential election. But in National Assembly election and the state election, PDP won.”

Wike dismissed the argument that such a voting pattern would confuse Nigerians. He said voters had already demonstrated that they could support different parties in different elections.

“Who will be more confused? Is it not my own candidates that will even be more confused when I’ve told them to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and then again, they now go back to support other candidates?”

According to Wike, some APC governors are concerned that politicians who fail to secure tickets under the ruling party could contest on other platforms and win their elections. He alleged that such lawmakers might then refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for leadership positions in the National Assembly.

“APC in their ongoing party primaries, the governors, in their own wisdom, believe that they should be able now to put senators or House of Reps members who they will dictate to who will become the next Senate President or the Speaker,” he alleged.

He continued, “The fear now is that, if they run and they win, it means that they’re not going to support him to be the Senate President,” he said.

Wike specifically linked the issue to Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma. He alleged that Uzodimma was interested in becoming Senate President after leaving office.

“Mr. President will be inaugurated by May 29. This man’s office will expire by January, February 2028.

“Now, he wants to leave his office to run for Senate. Now, what does that mean? He wants to run for Senate President. Now, what he does is to say to his colleagues, ‘Look, let us, the governors, be the ones that will produce the senators that will produce members of the House of Representatives.

“And of course, some of the governors are not experienced. They buy in, thinking it’s going to make them powerful, not knowing that he has his own interests, his own agenda, to become Senate President,” Wike said.

The FCT minister also made his position on Uzodimma’s alleged ambition clear.

“Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be the Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” the minister stated.

Wike said his position should not be interpreted as a personal dispute. He maintained that the political interests behind the disagreement should be considered within the wider contest ahead of 2027.

The disagreement comes after the APC Governors Forum declared that it would not support any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election, weakening the APC or affecting the party’s candidates. Uzodimma announced the position after a meeting of the governors in Abuja.

Wike also rejected reports that President Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement.

“The nine states, did they tell you the nine states?”

He added, “Let us help Nigerians. Let’s get the facts. Who are… which are those states? Tell us. That they said the President agreed with me that he has conceded nine states.”

The minister said his political focus remained on supporting Tinubu’s re-election and promoting what he described as the achievements of the administration.

“Mr. President is showing his postcard. We are selling Mr. President what he’s been doing, why he should be re-elected,” he said.

Wike also said Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition and his activities around the proposed arrangement.

“As I speak to you here, Mr. President knows about my concept, of the rainbow coalition…. Mr. President understands me very well,” Wike said.

He maintained that the coalition was not intended to take over the APC or prevent other parties from presenting candidates for governorship and legislative contests.

The FCT minister has previously said the coalition has no formal connection with the APC and that his stated objective is to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.

The disagreement has continued to generate reactions within the APC. The party’s South-East caucus previously called on Wike to apologise to APC governors over his comments about their opposition to the coalition.

Wike, however, has maintained his position that support for Tinubu in the presidential election can coexist with support for candidates from other parties in governorship and legislative elections.

The minister’s latest comments further highlight the growing disagreement between his Rainbow Coalition initiative and APC governors over how political support should be organised ahead of the 2027 elections.