2027: APC Governors reject Wike’s rainbow coalition, other alliances

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum has ruled out support for political alliances or candidates outside the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that its members will remain committed to the APC and its candidates at all levels.

The governors said they would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the party, creating divided loyalty or undermining President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Chairman of the APC Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, disclosed the position after the forum’s meeting in Abuja late Monday night, where he read the communique adopted by the governors.

Uzodimma said the governors had not entered into any formal agreement with any individual or opposition party ahead of the 2027 elections.

The declaration comes amid moves by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Nyesom Wike, to build what he describes as a “Rainbow Coalition” in Rivers State and other parts of the country in support of President Tinubu.

Wike, who is serving in the APC-led Federal Government despite remaining a member of the PDP, has been mobilising politicians across political divides under the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former Rivers State governor recently alleged that Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq were among those behind some of the political challenges confronting him.

Wike linked the alleged opposition to the expansion of his Rainbow Coalition, which he said was creating a platform for politicians seeking alternatives to some of the ruling party’s candidates ahead of the 2027 polls.

Against this backdrop, the APC governors’ latest position appears aimed at drawing a clear line between the party’s official structure and political arrangements outside its platform.

Reading the communique, Uzodimma said the forum’s priority was to ensure that all APC candidates receive the support of the governors and the party’s campaign machinery.

He said the governors would not endorse or support candidates who are not officially sponsored by the APC.

“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,” Uzodimma said.

He added that the governors’ commitment was exclusively to candidates flying the APC flag in the 2027 elections.

“In other words, the forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate because our candidates who are contesting the election are being sponsored by our party,” he said.

According to Uzodimma, the governors would align their campaign activities with the objectives of the APC and the political direction of the President.

“The governors’ campaign commitment is exclusively to all APC candidates. All levels of the party campaign architecture will align with the expectations of Mr President and the strategic objectives of the party,” he added.

The declaration is coming at a time when political realignments are gathering momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, with politicians across party lines exploring alliances and alternative platforms.

While Wike has continued to advocate his Rainbow Coalition as a broad political movement, the APC Governors Forum’s position indicates that the governors intend to maintain a unified party structure as the election approaches.

The governors’ resolution could also intensify political discussions around the extent to which individual political movements outside formal party structures can influence the 2027 contests, particularly in states where competing interests are emerging within and across political parties.