2027: APC Governors, Wike’s Feud Deepens

LAGOS — THE feud between the All Progressives Congress, APC, governors and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, deepened, yesterday, with APC leadership in the South-East throwing its weight behind the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, demanding full party support for all APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.

The zone also rejected the Rainbow Coalition midwived by Wike, which has fielded candidates in many states, saying it will hurt APC flag bearers including re-election-seeking President Bola Tinubu at the polls.

Wike has insisted that the coalition is 100 percent in support of Tinubu’s re-election. He accused some of the APC governors of being lazy and failing to work for Tinubu in 2023.

Taking Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, he wondered how APC won two Senate seats in Imo in 2023 and the president could not get sizable votes and lost in the state.

Like the South-East APC, Farouk Aliyu, a founding member of the APC in Jigawa State, and a former minority leader of the House of Representatives, who slammed Wike over his attacks on the governors, said that the minister has been adequately compensated for supporting Tinubu in 2023.

S-East natl vice-chairmen, 5 state chairmen back APC govs

The South-East APC stance was conveyed in a joint statement by the APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, and chairman of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states

It argued that the PGF’s position is essential in securing a comprehensive victory for the APC in 2027, and condemned Wike’s recent attacks on PGF members, which it described as “most unfortunate, reprehensible and completely unacceptable.”

They noted that Wike’s targets are governors who had delivered significant development in their states and secured more than 25 per cent of the presidential vote in 2023, insisting that the “Progressive Governors are not abstract politicians; they are performing leaders whose records speak for themselves.”

Beyond condemning the attacks, the statement accused Wike of actively working to hurt the political fortunes of sitting APC governors in 2027, arguing that no minister holds authority over elected governors.

“It is more troubling that Wike’s growing tendency to insult, diminish and plot to remove sitting Progressive Governors in 2027 is increasing each day,” it said, demanding that he withdraws his attacks and return to “party discipline, mutual respect and collective responsibility.”

The South-East leaders also rejected what they termed the “rainbow (chameleon) coalition” taking shape in the region, vowing that the APC will resist any attempt to undermine its structures there.

“We in the South-East stand solidly with all Progressive Governors and candidates of our party at all levels in the forthcoming 2027 elections,” they said, declaring the APC is “bigger than any individual” and rallying members behind its candidates from President Tinubu down to the State Houses of Assembly.

Aliyu slams Wike

Speaking during a televised interview on Arise TV yesterday, Aliyu, former APC governorship candidate in Jigawa, picked holes in Wike’s labelling of the APC governors as “lazy”.

Aliyu declared that the leadership and membership of the ruling party strongly reject such characterizations.

The controversy stems from an intensifying feud between Wike, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, serving in President Tinubu’s cabinet, and members of the APC Progressive Governors Forum.

While Wike maintains that his political alignment is designed to secure a second term for President Tinubu through his Rainbow Coalition, APC leaders have expressed growing frustration over his public hostility toward party executives.

Aliyu clarified that while the APC remains open to political alliances and appreciates Wike’s contributions to the party’s 2023 electoral success, the minister’s public outbursts undermine party discipline and overheat the national polity.

Addressing allegations of hypocrisy regarding the APC’s willingness to accept Wike’s support during the 2023 elections while condemning his current actions, Aliyu maintained that internal party boundaries must be respected.

Wike adequately compensated for supporting Tinubu in 2023

He stressed that Wike had been “adequately compensated” for his political backing through his high-profile appointment as FCT Minister, a role Aliyu commended him for executing effectively.

However, he warned against public arrogance and personal attacks on party figures, specifically referencing Wike’s recent televised remarks targeting leaders such as Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma and Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Aliyu, therefore, urged party members not to be distracted by the ongoing altercations and called on all political leaders, including Wike, to exercise humility and restraint.

He affirmed that the APC remains committed to a unified, “top-to-bottom” campaign structure for future elections, reasserting that APC governors will remain in charge of political operations within their respective states.