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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