2027: APC govs divided over Wike, Uzodimma, AbdulRazaq’s feud – ***New strategy in place to checkmate Atiku, Obi — Wike

Blocs Await Tinubu’s Return

The lingering rift between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a section of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors has divided the party’s 31 state chief executives into rival camps.

While some governors are backing the minister, others are aligning with the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as well as his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in the escalating dispute.

AbdulRazaq is also Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

“I can tell you that not all the governors are opposed to the minister. Many of them were his friends before now. The minister was a governor too. Even if everyone turns against him, you know that he has the Adamawa governor and some others with him,” a senior party source said.

Findings indicate that Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno; Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, are reportedly sympathetic to Wike’s position in the dispute.

On the other side, Uzodimma, AbdulRazaq, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; and a few others are said to be firmly opposed to the minister.

Several other governors are reportedly undecided, preferring to await the return of President Bola Tinubu before taking a definitive position on the matter.

The feud, which has simmered within the ruling party for months, recently spilled into the public domain, pitting Wike against a bloc of governors elected on the APC platform and raising questions about how the President and the party leadership intend to manage the divisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PGF, at a closed-door meeting in Abuja presided over by Uzodimma, reportedly resolved that the party would support only officially recognised APC candidates in the 2027 elections. The position effectively rules out endorsement of candidates emerging from an outside coalition, an apparent reference to Wike’s Rainbow Coalition project.

The governors reportedly argued that because the Rainbow Coalition had fielded or supported candidates for National Assembly and other positions on the platforms of rival parties, its activities could create confusion among voters on election day and potentially affect President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Wike, however, has dismissed suggestions that opposition to his coalition was motivated by concerns that it could destabilise the APC.

Instead, he alleged that Uzodimma and AbdulRazaq had other, undisclosed motives for opposing the coalition, including, according to him, Uzodimma’s reported ambition to become Senate President.

The minister has also taken direct aim at AbdulRazaq in the course of the disagreement, accusing the governor of repeatedly blaming him for political developments in Kwara State.

Wike also questioned allegations that he was sponsoring candidates in the state simply to gain control of the Kwara State legislature.

Amid the widening cracks, some party leaders have called for restraint on all sides.

With Tinubu currently out of the country, party sources said his return was being keenly awaited, as it could prove significant in determining how the undecided governors ultimately position themselves and how the APC leadership manages the widening rift ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, some anti-Wike elements were said to have circulated a narrative on Tuesday that some aggrieved governors were considering alliances with opposition presidential candidates.

The move, according to sources, was aimed at mounting pressure on the President to take a position against the minister.

Sources also told Vanguard that not all the governors had issues with Wike or his coalition, particularly in states where the minister is not sponsoring candidates.

New Strategy in Place to Checkmate Atiku, Obi — Wike

Meanwhile, Wike yesterday disclosed that a fresh political strategy had been put in place to counter former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in the 2027 elections.

Wike spoke after an inspection tour of several projects in Abuja, including Road S1 in Kaura District; Collector Road C2 in Life Camp; Arterial Road N16 in Gwarinpa; the IBB Golf Course; and the Gudu (Jereton Mariere Street) project by Apo Legislative Quarters.

The minister also clarified comments he had previously made about the 2023 presidential election, remarks that have continued to generate reactions.

He explained that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) G5 bloc, of which he was a member, had adopted a calculated strategy during the 2023 election aimed at denying Atiku votes in the South-South.

According to Wike, Atiku, rather than Obi, was regarded as the principal threat to the group’s political interests at the time.

“Our strategy was, make sure that you vote for Obi to win in order to deny Atiku the votes,” he said.

Wike explained that the South-South had traditionally been a PDP stronghold and argued that if the region had voted strictly along party lines, Atiku would have secured more votes.

The minister also dismissed insinuations that the strategy amounted to manipulation of the election results in Rivers State, insisting that no evidence was tendered at the tribunal to substantiate claims that the Labour Party won the state.

“Did anybody tender any result from Rivers State that, ‘look, this is the result, we won’? Did anybody? It’s unfair. It’s unfortunate there’s nothing we can do,” he said.

Wike maintained that every political camp, including the G5, operated with a defined strategy during the election.

“We have our strategy in this election, and whether you like it or not, it’s not for us to let the cat out of the bag,” the minister said.

He further explained that his political opposition in 2023 was directed at Atiku rather than Obi, arguing that perceptions of Obi’s strength were largely driven by social media and did not necessarily reflect the actual distribution of votes.

“When you are strategising to win an election, you look at a lot of factors: who is my threat? If this is my threat, this is a lesser threat, and I know what to do so as to make sure that the vote of my major threat does not increase.

“You cannot rig an election where you are not popular. You cannot. If you try that, then you see what happens; people will resist it,” he said.

It’ll Be Wrong to Support Another Candidate Against Tinubu — Wike

Reaffirming his support for President Tinubu’s re-election, Wike said it would be wrong for him to support another presidential candidate against Tinubu in 2027 after backing the President in the 2023 election.

He, however, maintained that his position on the presidential contest should not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates and contesting elections at the sub-national level.

Wike also reaffirmed his commitment to remaining in the PDP and working with other members to rebuild the party.

“After supporting President Tinubu in 2023, it will be wrong of me to support another person to face him when he is seeking re-election, and I have made this clear before now.

“But that should not prevent the PDP from contesting elections at the sub-national levels,” he said.

Wike spoke when members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), led by its Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, visited him at his Abuja residence to condole with him over the death of the party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih.

Ohuabunwa said the delegation also visited to encourage Wike to remain focused, insisting that the former Rivers State governor had been speaking the truth about the party.

“We are here to solidarise with him, encourage him and tell him to remain focused. Because everything he’s been saying about the party is nothing but the truth,” Ohuabunwa said.