APC lawmaker defends Wike as tension grows with party’s governors

A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has defended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, amid growing tensions between the minister and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mr Jibrin, who represents Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State, described Mr Wike as an “asset” to the APC, despite his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Wednesday, the lawmaker said Mr Wike had made sacrifices for the ruling party through his support for President Bola Tinubu.

“Wike is an asset. He has made sacrifices for the APC, including ensuring that Rivers became an APC state,” Mr Jibrin said.

He added that APC members had benefited directly or indirectly from Mr Wike’s support for Mr Tinubu.

“Every member of the party has benefited directly or indirectly from Wike’s support for Tinubu,” he said.

The federal lawmaker urged APC governors to regard Mr Wike as one of their own, despite his continued membership of the PDP.

“APC governors should consider Wike as one of their own,” he said.

The lawmaker’s comments come amid an escalating disagreement between Mr Wike and some APC governors over the minister’s political activities and his support for Mr Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Mr Wike has maintained that he supports Mr Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election but has also insisted that the PDP should be allowed to field candidates in governorship and legislative elections.

The former Rivers State governor has also defended his “Rainbow Coalition”, a cross-party group of politicians supporting Mr Tinubu’s re-election, against criticism from some APC figures.

Mr Jibrin said the disagreement should be managed because the different sides share a common position on Mr Tinubu’s 2027 ambition.

65% votes for Tinubu

Mr Jibrin also predicted that Mr Tinubu would secure at least 65 per cent of the total votes cast in the 2027 presidential election.

He said the president had become more popular since assuming office and argued that his political record gave him confidence in Mr Tinubu’s prospects.

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“President Bola Tinubu does not have a record of losing an election,” Mr Jibrin said.

Asked how much support he expected the president to receive in 2027, he said: “President Bola Tinubu will have nothing less than 65 percent of total votes cast in 2027. He has become more popular.”

Mr Jibrin served as director-general of the Tinubu Support Groups during the 2023 presidential election campaign and has maintained political links with the president since then.