Wike vs APC Governors: What Analysts Say Tinubu Could Do Next

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

A Kano-based political affairs commentator, Comrade Kabiru Sani Mai Kwanuka, has said FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has played a major role in boosting President Bola Tinubu’s political prospects and should not be regarded as less significant than APC governors ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mai Kwanuka made the assertion amid the escalating disagreement between Wike and governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress over the minister’s proposed Rainbow Coalition.

The APC Governors’ Forum had recently declared that its members would not back any political arrangement capable of weakening the party or its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

The forum’s chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said the governors remained committed to campaigning for APC candidates at all levels.

Wike, on the other hand, has maintained that his Rainbow Coalition is solely intended to rally support for Tinubu’s re-election and does not amount to an alliance with the APC.

The former Rivers State governor has also argued that his backing for Tinubu does not stop the PDP from presenting candidates for governorship and legislative elections in 2027.

Mai Kwanuka said Wike’s contribution to the internal divisions within the PDP should equally be considered when determining his political relevance to the Tinubu camp.

“Politically, Wike has made a contribution that no APC governor has made. He singlehandedly helped weaken the PDP to the point where it has lost virtually all of its governors.”

He traced Wike’s political influence to the 2022 PDP presidential primary, which was won by Atiku Abubakar, and the political crisis that followed within the opposition party.

Speaking in an interview, Mai Kwanuka questioned the current position of some PDP governors and political structures that previously constituted a major opposition force.

He asked: “Where is Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi today? Where is Seyi Makinde of Oyo? Where is Ademola Adeleke of Osun?”

According to him, Wike’s relevance to Tinubu should not be judged solely from his PDP membership or his current role as FCT minister, but also from his ability to attract political support across party lines.

“There is something Wike has done that is greater than what many APC governors have done. If you remember, Wike brought Rivers State to Tinubu, something many governors could not achieve, and Rivers is extremely important because of the number of votes in the state,” he said.

Wike’s Rivers influence

The development comes as Wike’s political structure in Rivers State remains a major point of discussion surrounding the proposed Rainbow Coalition.

Wike has consistently stated that his intention is to mobilise votes for Tinubu rather than influence the outcome of governorship or legislative elections in individual states.

He has equally maintained that political parties should retain the freedom to contest those elections.

Mai Kwanuka therefore argued that Tinubu could have reasons to preserve his relationship with Wike while also maintaining close ties with the APC governors.

“Wike should be given priority over some of the APC governors because there are governors who are not even certain of winning elections in their own states, let alone being able to secure a large number of votes for the president,” he said.

His position comes amid a wider political debate over the structure of Tinubu’s 2027 coalition and whether support for the president should be channelled solely through the APC or whether politicians outside the party should also mobilise independently for the presidential election.

Tinubu may avoid taking sides – Sufi

Another Kano-based political scientist, Dr Kabiru Said Sufi, believes President Tinubu may be unwilling to publicly side with either Wike or the APC governors in their ongoing disagreement.

Speaking with ZINGTIE, Sufi said the president could instead maintain cordial relations with both groups, allowing Wike to remain within his political circle while accepting whatever support the former Rivers governor is willing to provide.

“Tinubu might want to play safe and decide not to align with either of the two camps. He may decide to maintain relationships with both the governors’ camp and Wike’s camp.”

Sufi noted that Wike’s political reach goes beyond Rivers State, adding that his ability to mobilise political and financial resources could make his support relevant to Tinubu’s 2027 campaign.

He also noted that some senior APC members may have reservations about Wike remaining a member of the PDP while simultaneously serving as a senior minister in an APC-led Federal Government.

“Initially, they were happy that Wike had created divisions within the ranks of the PDP, while he still maintained that he remained within the PDP,” Sufi said.

“But it seems that some of them were not comfortable with the fact that he had not moved to the APC. As an APC person, he has still remained within another party other than the APC, while occupying a very important and sensitive position as Minister of the FCT,” he added.

The disagreement has grown more intense in recent days, with APC governors rejecting political arrangements they believe could weaken the party, while Wike continues to maintain that his Rainbow Coalition is aimed at supporting Tinubu’s presidential re-election and remains separate from the APC.

The conflicting positions have consequently fuelled debate over how support for Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid should be coordinated, particularly where presidential mobilisation overlaps with contests for governorship and legislative positions.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.