The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has rejected concerns by some All Progressives Congress governors that his proposed Rainbow Coalition could weaken the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike said the coalition was primarily designed to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, stressing that its support for the President would not prevent political parties from fielding candidates for governorship and legislative elections.

The minister made the clarification on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, amid an escalating disagreement between him and some APC governors over the coalition.

The APC Governors Forum had on September 14 declared that its members would not participate in, support or endorse any political arrangement capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election, weakening the APC or affecting the party’s candidates.

The forum, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, also said its campaign commitment would be exclusively to APC candidates at all levels.

Wike, however, argued that supporting Tinubu for President did not amount to an agreement to abandon candidates of other political parties in the governorship and legislative contests in Rivers State.

He cited the experience of the G5 governors during the 2023 presidential election, saying the group supported Tinubu while their parties retained candidates for other elective positions.

“In 2023, core leadership G5, we said we are going to support Mr President. But we never said that all our candidates in other elections will fail. We never said so.”

He added, “Particularly in Rivers State, we supported Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; he won the presidential election. But in National Assembly election and the state election, PDP won.”

Wike said a similar arrangement could operate in 2027, with politicians supporting Tinubu for President while backing candidates of their preferred parties in governorship and legislative elections.

The FCT minister also dismissed concerns that such an arrangement would confuse voters, arguing that Nigerians had previously demonstrated the ability to vote across party lines.

“Who will be more confused? Is it not my own candidates that will even be more confused when I’ve told them to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and then again, they now go back to support other candidates?” he said.

Wike further alleged that the opposition of some APC governors to the Rainbow Coalition was linked to their political calculations over the composition and leadership of the next National Assembly.

According to him, some governors were interested in influencing the emergence of the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives by determining which lawmakers secured APC tickets and eventually won their elections.

“APC in their ongoing party primaries, the governors, in their own wisdom, believe that they should be able now to put senators or House of Reps members who they will dictate to who will become the next Senate President or the Speaker,” Wike alleged.

He claimed that politicians who were denied APC tickets could seek alternative platforms, win their elections and subsequently refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for the leadership of the National Assembly.

“The fear now is that, if they run and they win, it means that they’re not going to support him to be the Senate President,” he said.

Wike specifically alleged that Uzodimma was positioning himself for the position of Senate President after leaving office as Imo governor.

The minister said Uzodimma’s tenure would expire in January 2028 and alleged that the governor was seeking to influence the emergence of lawmakers who could support his reported ambition.

“Mr. President will be inaugurated by May 29. This man’s office will expire by January, February 2028. Now, he wants to leave his office to run for Senate. Now, what does that mean? He wants to run for Senate President.”

Wike subsequently declared that he would not support Uzodimma for the position.

“Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be the Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” he said.

PUNCH, The Guardian and other publications reported the remarks, while The Guardian separately identified Wike’s allegation that some governors were seeking greater influence over the next National Assembly leadership. The claim concerning Uzodimma’s alleged ambition remains an allegation by Wike; Uzodimma’s reported public position has focused on the APC Governors Forum’s opposition to political arrangements that could affect the party and its candidates.

The minister also dismissed reports that President Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The nine states, did they tell you the nine states?” Wike asked.

He added, “Let us help Nigerians. Let’s get the facts. Who are… which are those states? Tell us. That they said the President agreed with me that he has conceded nine states.”

Wike said his immediate political objective was to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election, adding that he would campaign on the administration’s record.

“Mr. President is showing his postcard. We are selling Mr. President what he’s been doing, why he should be re-elected,” he said.

He cited Tinubu’s support for state police and what he described as the devolution of resources and powers to sub-national governments as issues he would highlight in support of the President.

Wike also disclosed that Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition, insisting that the President understood his political activities and position ahead of the 2027 elections.

“As I speak to you here, Mr. President knows about my concept, of the rainbow coalition…. Mr. President understands me very well,” he said.

The minister maintained that the coalition was not designed to take over or weaken the APC but to mobilise support for Tinubu across political lines.

The controversy intensified after the APC Governors Forum announced its opposition to political arrangements capable of weakening the party or affecting its candidates. Uzodimma, speaking for the forum, said the governors would exclusively support APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Wike had earlier insisted that the coalition had no formal relationship with the APC and was instead a cross-party platform for supporters of Tinubu’s re-election. Premium Times and TheCable reported the minister’s earlier clarification that he had not promised that the PDP would withdraw candidates from governorship and legislative elections.

The latest exchange has widened the political differences between Wike and some APC governors as parties and politicians prepare for the 2027 elections.

The APC has not publicly endorsed Wike’s interpretation of the Rainbow Coalition, while the governors have maintained that their position is intended to protect the APC, its candidates and Tinubu’s re-election bid.