Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has rejected criticism from Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma over his Rainbow Coalition, insisting the initiative is solely about mobilising cross-party support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and has nothing to do with the All Progressives Congress.
Wike questioned Uzodimma’s own record of delivering support for Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election. In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister asked how the APC managed to win two senatorial seats in Imo State in the same election in which Tinubu received less than 15 per cent of the presidential votes.
“In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodimma, 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?” Wike asked.
He pointed to similar patterns in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu, where APC candidates secured National Assembly seats even as Tinubu polled under 10 per cent of the presidential votes in some of those states. The results, he said, showed that Nigerians can vote differently in presidential and other elections.
Wike stressed that his focus remains Tinubu’s re-election. He said he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party would refrain from fielding candidates in governorship, National Assembly or state House of Assembly races. “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.”
He described the Rainbow Coalition as a platform to bring together politicians from different parties who are satisfied with Tinubu’s performance and prepared to back a second term. “Most importantly, Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is my own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term.”
Wike added that politics is local and that those with disputes in their states should resolve them rather than using the president’s re-election campaign to settle scores. He noted that he and other G5 governors supported Tinubu in 2023 without first meeting the APC, and said his current commitment remains securing another term for the president.
The response followed a closed-door meeting of the APC Governors’ Forum in Abuja, chaired by Uzodimma, at which members resolved not to participate in or endorse any alliance that could weaken the party or undermine Tinubu’s 2027 campaign. Uzodimma said the forum was committed to strengthening the APC and protecting the electoral interests of the party and its candidates at all levels.
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