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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction aligned with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has warned governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against underestimating his political influence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The faction alleged that opposition to Wike’s political activities was driven partly by concerns among some governors over their electoral prospects, accusing them of poor performance and warning that attempts to undermine the minister could have political consequences.
The statement, issued on Tuesday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, came amid an escalating disagreement between Wike and the APC Governors’ Forum over the minister’s proposed “Rainbow Coalition” and his role in mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. �
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The controversy intensified after Wike publicly accused Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of working against him.
During a media chat in Port Harcourt earlier this month, Wike accused AbdulRazaq of leading what he described as a campaign against him, including allegations that he was sponsoring politicians against the governor’s preferred candidates in Kwara State.
Wike said he had provided a political platform for aggrieved APC politicians and argued that such politicians could otherwise align with opposition forces hostile to Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election. He also recalled the political support he claimed to have extended to Uzodimma. �
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The latest development follows a fresh confrontation between Wike and the APC Governors’ Forum.
The governors, led by Uzodimma, recently declared that they would not participate in or endorse any political alliance capable of weakening the APC, undermining Tinubu’s re-election bid or adversely affecting the party’s candidates at the state and federal levels. �
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Wike, however, has maintained that his Rainbow Coalition is primarily aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu and does not amount to an agreement with the APC. He has also insisted that his support for Tinubu does not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates in governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections in 2027. �
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Reacting to the governors’ position, the Wike-backed PDP faction said APC governors should focus on governance rather than attempting to dictate Wike’s political activities.

“The APC governors should also know that Wike is not their problem; their poor governance and fear of electoral defeat are the real problems,” the faction said.

It further argued that Wike’s record as Rivers State governor and his current role as FCT minister had demonstrated what it described as his capacity for project delivery, political organisation and electoral mobilisation.
The faction also questioned the priorities of the APC governors ahead of 2027, asking whether they were primarily concerned with securing President Tinubu’s re-election or protecting their individual political interests.

“A governor who truly wants the President to win should welcome every credible political force capable of contributing to that victory,” it said.

The PDP faction consequently urged the APC Governors’ Forum to concentrate on governance, accountability and performance rather than attempting to determine whom Wike should support.

The clash adds another layer to the widening political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, with Wike backing Tinubu’s presidential bid while remaining a PDP member, and APC governors insisting on maintaining the party’s structure and candidates across the ballot. �
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The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has taken delivery of five new helicopters as the Federal Government steps up efforts to modernise the country’s airpower capabilities and strengthen military operations against security threats.

The platforms comprise three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters manufactured by Airbus Helicopters.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, the NAF said the three AW-109s, which are part of 10 recently acquired by the Federal Government, were received in Lagos on September 15, 2026, while the remaining seven are expected to be delivered before the end of the year. The two H-125 helicopters had been delivered earlier.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the new helicopters would increase aircraft availability and improve the NAF’s ability to support ongoing military operations.

“The arrival of these five helicopters provides greater flexibility in the employment of airpower in support of ground troops in ongoing operations,” Aneke said.

He said the AW-109 Trekker B helicopters would enhance the NAF’s capabilities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support, armed escort, combat search and rescue, and other joint operations.

Aneke added that the H-125 helicopters would provide light helicopter support for various operational requirements.

The new platforms are undergoing post-delivery assembly and technical and crew-readiness processes ahead of their induction and operationalisation.

Aneke said the increased rotary-wing capacity would strengthen support for joint forces conducting operations against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.

He said the NAF would also prioritise maintenance and logistics support to ensure the new aircraft remain available for operations.

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The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office, declaring that there will be “no vacancy” in the Presidential Villa, Abuja for the next four or five years.

Oba Akiolu gave the support when the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, led members of the council on a courtesy visit to his palace in Lagos on Monday.

The monarch urged politicians to approach the 2027 General Elections with responsibility and ensure that the electoral process is peaceful and serves the interests of Nigerians.

Oba Akiolu cautioned members of the campaign council against actions capable of undermining the peace and stability of the country, even as he urged them to uphold honesty and shun the Machiavellian principle that the end justifies the means.

Speaking, the Director-General of the Campaign Council, Yari, said the delegation was in Lagos to seek the monarch’s blessings, prayers and counsel as the council begins its nationwide campaign activities ahead of the 2027 polls.

Yari said the APC believed President Tinubu deserved a second term to consolidate his administration’s efforts in the areas of the economy, security and infrastructure.

The Campaign D-G, while acknowledging the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, appealed for continued support for the president, saying APC leaders from the North would work to secure strong backing for Tinubu’s re-election across the region.

Receiving the delegation, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the visit as significant, noting that the council had made the Oba’s palace one of its early stops following its engagement with the Sokoto Caliphate.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said the visit underscored Lagos’ strategic importance to Nigeria’s political process, describing the state as the country’s commercial and economic nerve centre as well as a major political hub.

The visit was attended by Lagos APC leaders, local government chairmen, members of the National Assembly, state lawmakers and other party stakeholders.