President Bola Tinubu is expected 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 as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The proposed intervention is expected to focus on resolving the differences between Wike and some APC governors and preventing the disagreement from developing into a wider political crisis within the ruling party and its allies.
A senior presidential aide familiar with the matter reportedly indicated that Tinubu could engage the affected parties while he is currently in France. The aide said the President’s intervention would be aimed at finding common ground and ensuring that the different political interests involved do not work against one another ahead of the 2027 elections...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The disagreement has largely centred on Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a political platform he has been promoting in Rivers State and beyond. Wike, who remains a prominent figure in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party while serving as a minister in the APC led Federal Government, has repeatedly stated that the coalition is intended to support Tinubu’s presidential ambition in 2027.
However, the arrangement has generated concerns among some APC governors because Wike has also indicated that his political network could support candidates outside the APC in governorship and legislative elections.
The position has brought him into disagreement with some governors, particularly Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Wike recently accused the two governors of being involved in efforts to frustrate his political activities.
Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, subsequently made it clear that APC governors would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the party or undermining APC candidates during the 2027 elections.
The Imo governor stressed that the governors’ political commitment remained with candidates officially sponsored by the APC at different levels.
Wike, however, has maintained that supporting Tinubu for the presidency does not require him to support APC candidates in every other election. He has argued that politicians within his coalition should remain free to support candidates of their choice in state and legislative contests.
The disagreement has consequently raised questions about how the different political interests supporting Tinubu’s 2027 presidential ambition will coordinate their activities without creating conflicts at the state and legislative levels.
The situation has also attracted reactions from APC leaders in different parts of the country. South East APC leaders recently expressed support for the Progressive Governors’ Forum and criticised Wike’s comments concerning the governors.
The party leaders urged the FCT minister to respect elected governors and return to what they described as party discipline and collective responsibility. They also rejected efforts they believe could weaken the APC’s structures ahead of the next general election.
The dispute is not limited to the immediate 2027 electoral calculations. Some APC figures have also linked the disagreement to broader political considerations involving the future leadership of the National Assembly and political alignments that could become important after the 2027 elections.
Former House Minority Leader Farouk Adamu-Aliyu also weighed in on the controversy, saying Wike’s support for Tinubu was appreciated but insisting that the FCT minister should not use the ruling party’s structure to advance a separate political organisation.
Despite the growing exchanges, the expected intervention by Tinubu could provide an opportunity for the different sides to address their disagreements privately and establish clearer boundaries between support for the President’s re-election and contests involving governors, senators and other political offices.
As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, the relationship between Wike, the APC governors and other political actors is likely to remain an important part of Nigeria’s evolving political landscape. Whether the proposed intervention will produce a lasting understanding between the parties will depend on how the competing political interests are managed in the months ahead.
