- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has warned the All Progressives Congress Governors Forum against looking for his trouble following the forum’s rejection of any coalition between the party and the Peoples Democratic Party.
NPO Reported that the APC governors had at a meeting held yesterday resolved to strictly support only APC candidates at all levels of the 2027 General Election.
Imo State Governor and chairman of the forum, Hope Uzodinma, made this known while presenting the communque of the meeting to newsmen.
In what has widely been considered as a direct jab at the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and his rainbow coalition between his PDP faction and the Rivers State APC chapter, Uzodinma held that the forum’s support is exclusive to only APC candidates.
Uzodinma added that the campaign structure of the party will strictly be designed in alignment with Tinubu’s directive, freezing out any chances of the party supporting candidates contesting under the Wike-backed PDP faction.
Reacting during a public engagement on Tuesday, Wike reiterated that his support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained sacrosanct.
He however noted thathe never promised that the PDP will not field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.
The Minister said the rainbow coalition does not have anything to do with the APC, describing the coalition as a platform for other political parties that are pleased with the good works of the President and are supporting his reelection.
As quoted in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike said he won’t be the one to help the APC governors to win elections in their States.
He warned the APC governors against whipping up sentiments under the guise of supporting Tinubu’s re-election bid as he charged them to resolve any internal challenges they have in their respective states.
“When I start. I’ve been on my own. They are looking for trouble when there is no trouble.
“Politics is local and those having problems in their States should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments.” He said.
Wike pointed out that he never met with the All Progressives Congress (APC) before himself and other members of the G5 supported the President in 2023, and that for 2027, his support is for the president only.
The Minister said politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor; it is about genuinely mobilising support and winning elections from the polling units.
Meanwhile, Wike questioned Uzodinma about factors that played out at the APC’s victory at the National Assembly elections and defeat at the presidential election in Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, and Enugu states in 2023.
“In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?
“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu States where the President did not have ten percent of the votes?
“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?” He asked.
The Minister urged all stakeholders to put the presidential election first, saying; “after the President must have been re-elected, we can all go and face elections in our States.”
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.
“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr. President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.
