2027: APC governors reject Wike’s Rainbow Coalition

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have opposed any political coalition or alliance they believe could threaten the chances of the party and its candidates in the 2027 elections.

The governors said aligning with such a political arrangement could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and weaken the party ahead of the elections.

Chairman of the APC Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the end of the forum’s meeting in Abuja on Monday night.

The governors’ position appears to be a response to the ‘Rainbow Coalition’ being promoted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to support Mr Tinubu’s re-election bid.

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

Some APC leaders have expressed concerns over the coalition, particularly amid allegations that Mr Wike is using the platform to support politicians who lost the party’s primaries and are now contesting elections on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Wike, a PDP leader serving in the APC-led federal government, has accused Mr Uzodimma and the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, of sponsoring falsehoods about the coalition.

During a recent media chat, the minister alleged that Messrs Uzodimma and AbdulRazaq were behind the claims because of the coalition’s increasing acceptance and membership.

Mr Wike also said the coalition, while supporting Mr Tinubu’s re-election, was providing a platform for politicians seeking to challenge APC candidates in governorship and senatorial elections in 2027.

APC governors reject support for non-APC candidates

Mr Uzodimma, who is also the Secretary of the Tinubu Campaign Council, said APC governors would not support or endorse candidates who are not members of the party in 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.

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“In other words, the forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate because our candidates who are contesting the election are being sponsored by our party,” he said.

The governor said the APC’s campaign activities at all levels would focus exclusively on the party’s candidates and align with Mr Tinubu’s agenda.

“The governors’ campaign commitment is exclusively to all APC candidates. All levels of the party campaign architecture will align with the expectations of Mr President and the strategic objectives of the party.”