Rainbow Coalition: APC South-east caucus backs governors, asks Wike to apologise for ‘disrespect’

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-east have asked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to apologise to the party’s governors over his comments about their political capacity and opposition to his “Rainbow Coalition.”

The APC members made the call on Thursday in a statement jointly signed by Ijeomah Arodiogbu, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-east), and the party chairs in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

They said the APC governors, particularly those in the South-east, had demonstrated their ability to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu, including during the 2023 presidential election.

Wike’s criticisms were directed at governors who had delivered significant development in their respective states and secured more than 25 per cent of the presidential votes in their states in the 2023 election.

“Progressive governors are not abstract politicians; they are performing leaders whose records speak for themselves. The governors were independent elected leaders who should be treated with respect,” the statement said.

Mr Wike, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) serving in the APC-led federal government, has been at odds with APC governors over his coalition, which he says is aimed at mobilising support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The coalition, which initially emerged in Rivers State, where Mr Wike served as governor, has since expanded to other parts of the country.

However, APC governors have opposed the coalition, describing it as a political arrangement that could undermine the party and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

The governors and other APC leaders have also alleged that Mr Wike is using the coalition to support politicians who lost the party’s primaries and are now contesting elections on the PDP platform.

The APC Governors Forum, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, subsequently rejected the coalition, saying the governors would not support any political arrangement that could undermine the party and its candidates in the 2027 elections.

Mr Wike, on the other hand, has accused the governors of opposing the coalition because they fear losing their elections. He has also criticised their performance in their respective states.

The PDP, Mr Wike’s party, has also weighed in on the dispute, backing his continued mobilisation for President Tinubu’s re-election despite the party’s decision to field Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The APC national leadership has yet to publicly take a position on whether it supports Mr Wike’s coalition, leaving observers to wonder how the party will manage the dispute between the minister and the governors.

South-east APC backs governors

The APC leaders accused Mr Wike of attempting to influence the political fortunes of APC governors ahead of the 2027 elections.

They argued that the minister had no authority over elected governors and should respect their political positions.

READ ALSO: 2027: Wike says Otti backing Tinubu; Abia govt says ‘confirmation will come at appropriate time’

“It is more troubling that Wike’s growing tendency to insult, diminish and plot to remove sitting progressive governors in 2027 is increasing each day,” the statement added.

The group said the APC governors had a constitutional and political responsibility to protect the interests of the party and its candidates.

It also rejected Mr Wike’s attempt to question the political capacity of the governors, saying their electoral records demonstrated their ability to mobilise support.

The APC South-east leaders called on the FCT minister to withdraw his comments and apologise to the governors.

We in the South-east stand solidly with all progressive governors and candidates of our party at all levels in the forthcoming 2027 elections. The APC is bigger than any individual,” they said.