The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the escalating dispute between governors elected on the party’s platform and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
APC PCC spokesman, Ima Niboro, who made the call on Wednesday, described the face-off as an internal disagreement between allies pursuing the same electoral goal, noting that the President possesses the political pedigree to resolve the crisis internally.
The friction between the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Wike centres on the minister’s cross-party political vehicle, the Rainbow Coalition. The governors, led by PGF Chairman and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, alongside Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, have opposed the coalition for fielding opposition candidates in several states, warning that the move could undermine APC candidates and weaken Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Wike, however, dismissed the governors’ concerns during an interview on Arise Television, describing his critics among the governors as “politically lazy” and insisting that his support for Tinubu does not bar opposition parties from contesting elections.
“They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse,” Wike said, adding that opposition to his political engagements began the moment he was appointed minister.
Addressing the dispute, Niboro called for an end to public media exchanges, urging party figures to concentrate on grassroots mobilisation rather than open confrontation.
“I consider this a quarrel among political siblings. They are all working in the same direction, but there are differences in the details. Both camps agree that President Tinubu must return in 2027,” Niboro said. “If you’re a political leader, stop talking, go and work. Go and establish authority in your political base.”
Reacting to the rift, APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe called on Wike to consult the governors and explain the framework of the Rainbow Coalition, noting that while Wike remains a critical stakeholder whose influence cannot be discounted, collective dialogue is essential.
In a contrasting position, a founding member of the APC and former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, cautioned Tinubu against yielding to pressure from governors asking him to discard Wike.
Okechukwu argued that Wike’s political machinery delivered crucial support in the 2023 elections and will be needed to provide supplementary votes in 2027, advising the President to maintain a broad coalition rather than narrow his electoral base.
