Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has expressed concerns about the Rainbow Coalition promoted by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 general elections. In an interview with TVC, Sule questioned the essence of the coalition, stating that its purpose seems unclear. He also expressed relief that his name was not among those listed by Wike as governors opposed to the coalition.
Wike had identified three APC governors - Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun - as opposing his political activities. However, Sule noted that he was not part of the group accused of fighting the coalition. The Rainbow Coalition aims to mobilize support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027 across party lines.
The APC Governors' Forum had earlier rejected any political arrangement that could weaken the ruling party or affect its candidates in the forthcoming elections. The governors, led by Uzodimma, stated that they would not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance capable of undermining the APC or its candidates. This position was seen as a direct response to Wike's Rainbow Coalition.
Wike has consistently rejected the suggestion that his coalition is intended to weaken the APC. He argues that his political support is specifically for Tinubu's second-term bid and does not amount to an agreement that other political parties should abandon their candidates in the 2027 governorship, National Assembly, or state assembly elections.
Wike cited the 2023 elections as an example, pointing out that voters were able to support different parties at the presidential and National Assembly levels during the same election. He believes that the same pattern could occur in 2027, with politicians and voters supporting Tinubu for the presidency while maintaining their party affiliations for other positions.
The Nasarawa governor suggested that the position of the APC Governors' Forum may have been misunderstood. Wike remains a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, despite serving as a minister in the APC-led Federal Government. His support for Tinubu dates back to the 2023 presidential election, when he was one of the G5 governors who refused to support the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The current Rainbow Coalition is an extension of that political position, with Wike seeking support for Tinubu from politicians across different parties. Wike again insisted that the coalition was not established to weaken the APC, and securing Tinubu's return to office remains his major political priority. He also rejected claims that the coalition was created to destabilize existing political parties.
Key points
- Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule questions the purpose of Minister Nyesom Wike's Rainbow Coalition.
- The APC Governors' Forum had rejected any political arrangement that could weaken the ruling party or affect its candidates.
- Wike's Rainbow Coalition aims to mobilize support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027 across party lines.
