A group supporting Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the reasons given by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike for promoting the Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. The APC Grassroots Organisation stated that Wike's intention was to undermine the ruling party, similar to how he allegedly impacted the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the 2023 elections through the G-5 alliance.
Chairman of the APC Grassroots Organisation, Mukhtar Rabiu, made the allegations in a statement, warning that the Rainbow Coalition could negatively affect President Bola Tinubu's bid for a second term. Rabiu called on APC leaders to resist attempts to support Wike's coalition as a parallel campaign structure for Tinubu, stating it could cause disunity within the APC.
Wike, a chieftain of the opposition PDP serving in the APC-led federal government, has been at odds with APC governors over his Rainbow Coalition, which he says aims to mobilise support for President Tinubu's re-election. The coalition, initially emerging in Rivers State, has expanded to other parts of Nigeria, sparking opposition from APC governors.
The Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), comprising APC governors, has opposed the coalition, describing it as a political arrangement that could undermine the party and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. The governors, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, rejected the coalition, saying they would not support any arrangement that could undermine the party.
Wike responded to the governors' opposition, accusing them of fearing they would lose their elections. He also criticised their performance in their respective states. The PDP, Wike's party, backed his continued mobilisation for President Tinubu's re-election despite fielding its own presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, for the 2027 election.
The APC South-east caucus rejected the coalition and asked Wike to apologise to the party's governors over his comments about their political capacity and opposition to the Rainbow Coalition. The APC national leadership has not publicly taken a stance on the dispute, leaving observers wondering how the party will manage the rift between Wike and the governors.
The APC Grassroots Organisation also rejected claims that Wike's G-5 alliance significantly contributed to Tinubu's victory in the 2023 presidential election. Rabiu argued that if the G-5 members were influential, some would not have lost subsequent elections, citing the electoral performance of former members.
Key points
- The APC Grassroots Organisation opposes Wike's Rainbow Coalition, citing concerns it could undermine the party.
- Wike's coalition has sparked opposition from APC governors, who see it as a threat to the party's unity and electoral prospects.
- The dispute has exposed a rift within the APC, with the national leadership yet to take a public stance on the matter.
