Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has responded to Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma over the growing dispute surrounding the Rainbow Coalition.
Wike said his primary political objective ahead of the 2027 election is to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu.
He also argued that the coalition was not created to support APC candidates in state-level elections.
The FCT minister made the comments after the Progressive Governors Forum opposed political arrangements that could affect APC candidates.
Uzodimma, who chairs the forum, said APC governors would focus on the party’s candidates at all levels during the 2027 elections.
The development has created a fresh political disagreement between Wike and APC governors ahead of the general elections.
Wike Says Rainbow Coalition Is About Tinubu
Wike maintained that the Rainbow Coalition has no connection with the APC.
According to him, the platform brings together people from different political parties who support Tinubu’s re-election.
He said he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party would withdraw from other elections.
Wike also stated that PDP remains free to field candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
His position was also reported by the News Agency of Nigeria and other news organisations.
The minister said his support for Tinubu should not be interpreted as support for APC candidates in every contest.
He argued that political actors should separate the presidential contest from elections at the state level.
Wike said the coalition was designed to mobilise support for Tinubu across political parties.
He also recalled the role played by himself and other members of the G5 during the 2023 presidential election.
The former Rivers State governor said they supported Tinubu without first meeting with APC leaders.
His comments come amid wider political realignments ahead of 2027.
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Wike Challenges Uzodimma Over 2023 Results
Wike also questioned the voting pattern recorded in some South-East states during the 2023 elections.
He specifically referred to Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states.
The minister noted that voters supported different parties in presidential and National Assembly elections during the same election cycle.
He used the results to argue that voters can make separate choices in different contests.
Wike specifically questioned the performance of the APC in the 2023 presidential election in Imo State.
He also referenced APC victories in some National Assembly contests across the South-East.
His argument was that voters who made different choices in 2023 could do the same in 2027.
He therefore rejected the suggestion that supporting Tinubu should automatically mean supporting every APC candidate.
The remarks form part of Wike’s broader defence of the Wike Rainbow Coalition.
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Uzodimma Leads APC Governors’ Position
The dispute followed a position announced by Uzodimma on behalf of APC governors.
The Imo governor said the Progressive Governors Forum would not support political arrangements that could weaken the APC.
He said the governors would not endorse candidates who are not APC candidates at different levels.
The forum said its campaign structure would focus on Tinubu and APC candidates.
The position was announced after an APC governors’ meeting in Abuja on September 14.
Recent reports described the statement as a response to concerns about Wike’s Rainbow Coalition.
The governors said their priority was to protect the party’s candidates while supporting Tinubu’s presidential bid.
This position differs from Wike’s approach.
While Wike says the coalition is focused on Tinubu, APC governors want party campaign structures to support APC candidates across the ballot.
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Wike Says State Politics Should Be Handled Locally
Wike also argued that political disputes at the state level should not be linked to Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
He said politicians facing disagreements in their states should resolve those issues locally.
The minister stressed that his own commitment was to the presidential election.
“After the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our states,” he said.
Wike also rejected the idea that he had promised to prevent PDP from fielding candidates.
He said the party could still contest governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections.
His position therefore separates his support for Tinubu from his relationship with the PDP.
The development reflects the complicated political alignments emerging ahead of 2027.
Wike remains a PDP figure while serving as minister in the APC-led federal government.
His support for Tinubu has also been a subject of political debate since the 2023 election.
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Wike Says Coalition Is Separate From APC
The FCT minister reiterated that the Rainbow Coalition is independent of the APC.
He said the platform was created to mobilise support across political parties for Tinubu.
Wike argued that individuals can support a presidential candidate while still belonging to different political parties.
He therefore rejected suggestions that the coalition should operate as an extension of the APC.
Recent reporting from Premium Times and Channels Television also quoted Wike as saying the coalition has no connection with the APC.
The disagreement now centres partly on whether such a multi-party arrangement could affect APC candidates in other elections.
APC governors have expressed concern about arrangements that could weaken the party or its candidates.
Wike, however, says his coalition’s objective is specifically the presidential election.
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2027 Political Alliances Continue to Shift
The disagreement comes as political actors continue to prepare for the 2027 elections.
Several politicians and groups have already begun positioning themselves ahead of the polls.
Political alliances are also becoming an important part of the emerging electoral calculations.
The role of opposition parties remains central to these discussions.
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Other political actors have also publicly declared support for Tinubu’s re-election.
At the same time, opposition figures continue to promote alternative political platforms and campaign messages.
The political environment could change further as parties prepare for their various contests.
The final structure of alliances will also depend on party decisions and candidate selection.
Wike Says Focus Should Remain on Presidential Election
Wike urged supporters of Tinubu to concentrate on the presidential election first.
He argued that political actors can pursue their separate state-level interests after the presidential contest.
His comments suggest that he does not view support for Tinubu as an agreement to support APC candidates in other elections.
The minister also maintained that voters can choose different parties across different contests.
He cited the 2023 elections in the South-East as an example of this voting pattern.
The argument has become part of the broader disagreement between Wike and APC governors.
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Local political contests are already generating significant mobilisation in several states.
Enugu, for example, is preparing for its September 26 local government elections.
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Rainbow Coalition Dispute Continues
The APC governors have maintained that their campaign structure will support APC candidates.
Wike has maintained that his coalition is focused on Tinubu’s re-election.
The two positions have created a clear disagreement over how political support should operate during the 2027 elections.
Recent reports indicate that the disagreement has continued to generate reactions from political stakeholders.
The dispute also comes as Wike faces political disagreements with some governors.
He recently accused Uzodimma and other political actors of involvement in claims surrounding the coalition.
Uzodimma and the APC governors have rejected the coalition’s role within the party’s campaign structure.
The competing positions are likely to remain part of the political conversation as 2027 approaches.
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Wike Reaffirms His Position on Tinubu
Wike has made clear that his personal political support for 2027 is centred on Tinubu’s presidential bid.
He said the Rainbow Coalition would continue mobilising support across political parties.
At the same time, he said the PDP remains free to contest other elections.
The APC governors have taken a different position by committing their campaign structures to APC candidates.
The disagreement therefore involves both presidential support and the role of party structures in other electoral contests.
For now, Wike continues to defend the Wike Rainbow Coalition as a separate platform focused on Tinubu.
Uzodimma and the APC Governors Forum continue to emphasise the APC’s candidates and party structure.
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The debate is expected to continue as political parties, candidates and alliances prepare for the 2027 general elections.
