Political tensions are escalating ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with emerging 2031 presidential ambitions sparking a fierce rivalry between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC). This internal friction threatens to derail President Bola Tinubu’s hopes for a smooth re-election campaign.
Wike, a serving minister in the APC-led federal government despite his allegiance to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has championed a “Rainbow Coalition” in his native Rivers State. While he maintains this alliance is solely dedicated to supporting President Tinubu’s 2027 bid, it simultaneously strengthens the PDP against the APC in governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly contests across other states. This nuanced position has drawn sharp criticism from APC governors.
APC Governors United Against “External Interests”
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, speaking late Monday night after a meeting of the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum in Abuja, delivered an indirect rebuke to Wike. Uzodimma, the forum’s chairman, emphasized that the governors would vigorously oppose any alliance or political arrangement that could undermine President Tinubu’s re-election or weaken the party’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 polls.
“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,” read a communiqué issued by Uzodimma at the end of the governors’ meeting. “The forum’s primary focus was to support official APC candidates at all levels rather than promote external interests.”
The governors firmly declared that they have not entered into any formal agreement with any individual or opposition party and will not entertain arrangements that could create “confusion, divided loyalty or competing interests” within the ruling party.
Wike Defends “Genuine Mobilisation”
Unfazed by the governors’ criticisms, Wike defended his “Rainbow Coalition” as a genuine mobilization effort. Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Tuesday, the minister reaffirmed his “unwavering support” for President Tinubu’s re-election. However, he clarified that this commitment does not preclude the PDP from fielding candidates across various states.
Wike argued that politics is ultimately “local,” and those facing challenges in their states should resolve them instead of using the President’s re-election as an excuse. He challenged Governor Uzodimma’s performance in Imo State, suggesting the APC’s parliamentary victories there in 2023 were not a result of a cohesive pro-Presidential vote, as Tinubu had less than 15 per cent in the presidential election in that state.
“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the President genuinely this time?” Wike queried, calling for genuine mobilization over political convenience.
In a later interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Tuesday night, Wike dismissed the governors’ concerns as the byproduct of “political laziness.” “When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse,” the minister declared.
2031 Ambitions Fueled Rivalry
Credible sources within the APC leadership, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the power struggle involving Wike, Uzodimma, and others is largely driven by early ambition for the 2031 presidential race. Both Wike and Uzodimma are reportedly positioning themselves for the vice-presidential position, and are actively competing to expand their political influence beyond their respective geopolitical zones.
One source described the current tension as “a fight for political positions.” The rivalry has seen both camps recruit friends, supporters, and party chieftains, with Wike and Uzodimma supporting opposing factions within Rivers and Imo states. The sources cautioned that this persistent infighting, if not urgently addressed by President Tinubu, could pose a major threat to his 2027 re-election bid.
PDP Sees Jittery Governors, “Created Monsters”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has viewed the development with a mixture of amusement and concern. Tanimu Turaki (SAN), the leader of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, mocked Tinubu and the APC governors over the internal friction. The Turaki faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, went as far as to say that the ruling party and the President would be “consumed by the monster they created” by empowering Wike, whom he described as an anti-democratic “monster” whose Rainbow Coalition could lead to the “collapse of democracy.”
However, the main PDP camp, led by its National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed, offered a more supportive view of the FCT Minister. Mohammed defended Wike as a “political force that could not be discarded.” While he acknowledged Wike’s support for Tinubu at the presidential level, he maintained that the PDP remains fully committed to fielding candidates and contesting the 2027 elections at all other levels.
“The President has given these governors all that is required for them to provide infrastructure and human capital development,” Jungudo stated, accusing the APC governors of “failed good governance” despite increased federal allocations. He argued that the governors were simply “jittery” because the PDP had fielded credible candidates capable of defeating them. “The publication of PDP candidates has proved the party would contest the elections,” Mohammed added.
A Threat to 2027
APC sources warned that the internal rift could have serious consequences for the party and its candidates. “This internal friction threatens to derail President Bola Tinubu’s hopes for a smooth re-election campaign,” one source stated.
The Presidency has so far remained silent on the growing tension, but sources indicate that the infighting could escalate unless urgent action is taken to resolve the conflict.
English