Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has expressed his comfort with the ongoing political differences between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Oshiomhole clarified that the disagreement should not be seen as opposition to President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid. He emphasized that both Wike and the APC governors are committed to supporting the President.
Wike, who remains outside the APC, has repeatedly declared his support for Tinubu's second-term bid while maintaining that his backing for the President does not amount to support for the APC or its candidates in other elections. This position has drawn criticism from APC governors, who have rejected political arrangements that could weaken the party's candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. The Progressive Governors' Forum subsequently maintained that APC governors would support Tinubu and candidates of the ruling party.
Oshiomhole stressed that the differences between the two sides do not bother him because their positions converge on Tinubu's re-election. He noted that Wike is supporting President Tinubu and not the APC, and that the position of some of the APC governors and that of the minister is that they are both unanimous in their commitment to supporting the President's re-election. Oshiomhole added that he had not heard any argument suggesting that Wike or any of the APC governors was opposed to Tinubu's return to office.
Wike has similarly maintained that the Rainbow Coalition is not an arrangement with the APC but a platform involving members of different political parties who support Tinubu's re-election. He has also argued that political parties remain free to field candidates for governorship and legislative elections. This stance has been met with mixed reactions from various quarters, with some welcoming his efforts to build a broad coalition in support of Tinubu.
The dispute was further reflected in Ondo State, where the state chapter of the APC distanced itself from Wike's Rainbow Coalition. The APC state secretary, Alex Kalejaye, said the party would give full support to Tinubu as well as its candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and Ondo State House of Assembly. Kalejaye emphasized that the party was committed to mobilising votes for the President and its candidates.
The Ondo APC also said it was targeting one million votes in the state and argued that supporting Tinubu on one platform while backing candidates of other parties could create confusion and potentially cause an electoral crisis on election day. The party warned that it would sanction members involved in anti-party activities, particularly those supporting candidates on other political platforms.
Oshiomhole's comments come as the 2027 elections approach, and the political landscape in Nigeria continues to evolve. The Senator's assertion that Wike and the APC governors are working towards the same goal of supporting Tinubu's re-election has been seen as an attempt to downplay the rift between the two groups. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the various political stakeholders will navigate the complex web of alliances and rivalries.
Key points
- Oshiomhole says he is comfortable with the rift between Wike and APC governors.
- Wike's Rainbow Coalition is not an arrangement with the APC, but a platform supporting Tinubu's re-election.
- The Ondo APC has distanced itself from Wike's Rainbow Coalition and vowed to sanction members involved in anti-party activities.
