Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has fired another salvo at Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, as the controversy surrounding the Rainbow Coalition and its political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections continues to deepen.
Wike, through his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, took an apparent swipe at Uzodinma after the Imo governor led a meeting of All Progressives Congress, APC, governors where concerns were raised over Wike’s Rainbow Coalition.
The APC governors had indirectly distanced themselves from the coalition, further exposing the political differences between Wike and Uzodinma.
But Wike has hit back, insisting that the Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC and challenging those criticising the group to focus on their political problems at home.
He also stressed that politics remains local, arguing that politicians facing difficulties in their respective states should resolve them rather than use President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid to settle local political battles.
Wike maintained that he has consistently supported Tinubu’s bid for a second term but never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members loyal to him would abandon their own electoral contests.
Taking a direct swipe at the political argument surrounding the coalition, Wike questioned how APC managed to win senatorial and National Assembly seats in several South-East states in 2023 despite the party recording significantly lower presidential votes in those states.
“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 the Rainbow Coalition? Were the voters confused?
“Was it the Rainbow Coalition that also made APC 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 for another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027, provided we all support the President genuinely this time?
“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 the PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
“Most importantly, the Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he stated.
Wike’s latest comments are likely to further fuel the growing political battle between him and Uzodinma, particularly as politicians across the country begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The FCT minister appears determined to maintain his support for Tinubu’s re-election while also insisting that his political allies remain free to contest elections against APC candidates at the state and legislative levels.
