A war of words has erupted between the 31-member Nigerian Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over a proposed political alliance. The PGF, led by Hope Uzodinma, has vowed to endorse no political alliance outside the official APC structure, dismissing Wike's Rainbow Coalition as a rude interloper. Wike, however, insists on his coalition, which has sparked immense political tension. The PGF's reaction was triggered by Wike's demand to support President Bola Tinubu's return to office without fully committing to the APC.
The crisis deepened as Wike launched a verbal attack on governors opposed to his Rainbow Coalition, describing them as "419-smart and politically lazy." He singled out Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and Uzodinma, hurling insults that signposted his garrulity and intolerance for others. APC chieftain Farouk Aliyu promptly called out Wike's arrogance, urging him to watch his words and learn humility. The friction highlights a deeper struggle for party control on the road to 2027.
The PGF's Uzodinma found his footing, affirming that the governors, not Wike, will run campaign structures in their respective states. Aliyu reinforced this, insisting that APC will only sell the whole tortoise, meaning Wike cannot have fragments of the party. The governors' reaction was veiled in diplomacy, with Uzodinma avoiding direct confrontation with Wike. The development has sparked concerns about the impact on the party's fortunes ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Wike-APC tango has drawn parallels with traditional adultery, with some observers noting that the dynamics of the situation resemble the accusative howling between an adulterous woman and her liaison. The Dadakuada bard, Odolaye Aremu, chanted: "Ìjà níí gb'ẹyìn àlè" — fights are always the end of adulterous flings. The APC's decision to bring Wike into its fold in 2023 has been seen as a fatal mistake.
Aliyu acknowledged that Wike had helped the APC, but noted that he had also been adequately compensated with the position of FCT minister. He urged Wike to respect the party's leaders and avoid insults. The development has raised questions about the implications of Wike's membership in the APC and the potential consequences for the party.
The crisis has also sparked debate about the APC's decision to court Wike, who served as a local government chairman, governor, and minister under an opposition political party before joining the ruling party. Some have questioned why the original owner, the PDP, let Wike go, and whether the APC assumed that the PDP was stupid for allowing him to slide in the last months of 2023.
As the house is in commotion, no one should pity the APC for shouting "Eureka!" over a trapped buffalo find, according to Yoruba proverbs. The huge problem that lay ahead is finally here, with the APC governors complaining bitterly today about Wike's gutter rhetoric. Another proverb exposes their ignorance, noting that a half-cured lunatic has cyclic manifestations.
Key points
- The Nigerian Progressive Governors Forum has vowed to endorse no political alliance outside the official APC structure.
- Wike's Rainbow Coalition has sparked immense political tension within the APC.
- The crisis has raised questions about the implications of Wike's membership in the APC and the potential consequences for the party.
