Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, son of Nigeria's first Minister of Finance, has urged APC governors to find a working arrangement with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Okotie-Eboh's advice comes amid a disagreement between Wike and the APC Governors' Forum over the proposed Rainbow Coalition. The coalition aims to mobilize support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election in 2027.
The Rainbow Coalition has sparked controversy, with Wike describing it as a cross-party platform to support Tinubu's re-election. The APC Governors' Forum, however, has expressed concerns that the coalition could weaken the APC and undermine its candidates. Okotie-Eboh argued that APC governors should distinguish between supporting the President at the federal level and competing with political parties at the state and legislative levels.
Okotie-Eboh emphasized that political actors can support the same presidential candidate while retaining their party identities and contesting other elections independently. He cited Wike's role in the G-5 during the 2023 presidential election, where Wike and other members supported Tinubu despite belonging to the PDP. This, Okotie-Eboh said, illustrates the possibility of political actors crossing party lines on a presidential question.
Okotie-Eboh also pointed to Wike's tenure as FCT Minister, where he has pursued development programmes in infrastructure, urban renewal, and transportation. He argued that APC governors should focus on delivering measurable development in their respective states, just like Wike has done in the FCT. This, Okotie-Eboh believes, will provide a visible role for the governors within the Tinubu administration.
The disagreement between Wike and some APC governors has raised questions about how a cross-party presidential mobilisation structure would coexist with the APC's own political machinery. Okotie-Eboh urged the governors to engage Wike through dialogue and political consultation, rather than public confrontation. He believes that public disagreements could complicate efforts to build a broad support base for Tinubu ahead of 2027.
As the 2027 political season gathers momentum, Okotie-Eboh's advice to APC governors is to prioritize dialogue, coordination, and cooperation over confrontation. He emphasized that political parties should recognize that supporters of different parties can converge around a presidential candidate without abandoning their parties. Okotie-Eboh concluded that the Rainbow Coalition should be understood within the context of presidential mobilisation.
Key points
- Okotie-Eboh urges APC governors to seek a working arrangement with Wike.
- The Rainbow Coalition aims to mobilize support for President Tinubu's re-election in 2027.
- Okotie-Eboh emphasizes the importance of dialogue and coordination over confrontation.
