President Bola Tinubu is set to intervene in the growing disagreement between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The planned intervention comes amid fresh tension over Wike's "Rainbow Coalition" and the decision of APC governors to reject any political arrangement that could affect the party's candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Tinubu may meet members of the Progressive Governors' Forum (PGF) as early as next week to discuss the dispute. The meeting is expected to provide an avenue for the parties to discuss their differences and prevent the disagreement from growing into a wider crisis within the political camp supporting the president. This development follows a meeting of APC governors in Abuja where they took a position against political alliances that could weaken the party or affect its candidates in the 2027 elections.
The position was announced by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors' Forum, Hope Uzodimma. Uzodimma said the governors would remain committed to the APC and its candidates across the different levels of the 2027 elections. The APC Governors Forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr President, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels.
Wike has been promoting the Rainbow Coalition as a broader political movement aimed at mobilising support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The FCT minister has maintained that the coalition is not an APC structure and should not be interpreted as a platform against the ruling party. His position is that politicians and supporters from different parties can work together for Tinubu's re-election while still backing candidates of their choice in governorship and legislative elections.
The argument has put Wike at odds with the APC governors, who have drawn a distinction between supporting Tinubu and supporting candidates who may contest against APC candidates in other elections. Wike recently criticised the governors for opposing his political arrangement. He described them as "politically lazy" and questioned why support for Tinubu at the presidential level should prevent members of the coalition from backing candidates outside the APC in other contests.
The APC National Working Committee is also expected to play a role in efforts to calm the disagreement. The party's National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, is currently outside the country on a two-week vacation. Yilwatda began the break earlier in September after what his media aide described as an "exceptionally demanding and eventful first year" in office. The APC said the vacation was designed to allow the national chairman to rest, reflect and prepare for the next phase of the party's activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
There have been reports that the APC chairman could cut short his vacation because of the disagreement between Wike and the governors. However, information from the party indicated that he was expected to complete the two-week break and return to Nigeria as scheduled. The president is also expected to return to Nigeria after a working holiday abroad, according to reports on the planned intervention.
Key points
- President Tinubu to meet APC governors over dispute with Wike
- APC governors reject political alliances that could affect party's 2027 candidates
- Wike's Rainbow Coalition sparks disagreement with APC governors
