APC State Chapters Reject Wike's Rainbow Coalition, Ask Minister To Join Party

By Victor Idajili

Several state chapters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have rejected the Rainbow Coalition being promoted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insisting that he should formally join the ruling party if he wants to support President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027.

The pushback follows a fresh disagreement between Wike and APC governors over the political structure the minister is putting together ahead of the general elections.

Wike is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, serving as minister in an APC-led Federal Government after being appointed by President Tinubu.

While some APC chapters say they would welcome Wike if he defects, others have kicked against the coalition, arguing that a politician cannot support the APC for president and at the same time support candidates of other parties for governorship and legislative seats.

The disagreement has exposed tension within the President's camp on how support for his second term should be organised and who should control the structures.

The latest row was triggered by Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, who said Wike should take a clear stand.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television's Inside Sources on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Lawal said the position of APC governors remains unchanged.

"Our message is very, very clear: Be on one side. You can't be on two sides. If you're in APC, please come out and support APC. Not you're supporting APC here, and you're supporting other political parties somewhere else. It doesn't make sense. It's not done anywhere," Lawal said.

He added: "He can speak, he can say whatever he wants to say, but our position has been very, very clear: APC all the way from head to toe."

Asked if they were asking Wike to join APC, he said: "Exactly. What's the essence?"

Lawal said he would raise the matter with President Tinubu.

In Imo, the APC Publicity Secretary, Jones Onwuasoanya, said Wike was playing hide and seek with his loyalty and should fully align with the ruling party if he is sincere about supporting Tinubu.

"Decency demands that an individual who claims so much allegiance to the philosophies and programmes of a political party should fully align with that political party," he said, adding that there is nothing like Rainbow Coalition in Imo State.

In Gombe, Publicity Secretary Murtala Usman said APC does not need any rainbow coalition and that the arrangement would cause confusion among stakeholders, especially with recent defections of PDP governors to APC.

"So Wike should switch to APC completely. Since he is doing the work of APC, let him be a full member, not a partial member," he said.

Ondo State APC also rejected selective support. State Secretary Alex Kalejaiye said the coalition plan to support Tinubu for President but field other parties' candidates for other positions was unacceptable.

"To us in Ondo State, support for the candidates of the ruling party must be total; our party is committed to mobilising votes for the President, three senatorial, nine representatives, and 26 House of Assembly candidates. That is not negotiable," he said.

He said the party appealed to Wike to collapse his structure into APC.

Jigawa APC, however, welcomed Wike's support. Publicity Secretary Bashir Kundu said the chapter would receive Wike if he decides to join, noting that APC itself is a product of a coalition.

Benue presented mixed reactions. James Orgunga of one faction said Wike should join APC, while Daniel Ihomun of another faction loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said Wike should remain in PDP because "he has helped to destroy PDP for us."

In Rivers State, the APC faction led by Emeka Beke backed the governors. Its spokesman, Darlington Nwauju, said voters cannot be asked to vote for different parties on the same day and that Wike cannot use his association with APC to rebuild PDP.

Anambra APC Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, described the coalition as an insult to the party, saying Wike has no basis to intervene in APC affairs.

Kwara APC Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, described the coalition strategy as "a grand deception and a confusing strategy," questioning how voters would be told to vote APC for President and another party for Senate on the same day.

Plateau APC Chairman, Rufus Bature, said there is nothing like Rainbow Coalition in Plateau and that it was condemned at a recent retreat in Maiduguri with the APC National Chairman. He said Wike is free to join APC but cannot be "APC in the morning and PDP in the night."

Nasarawa APC Publicity Secretary, Augustine Ogaba, also said the chapter does not recognise any coalition not approved by the party leadership, but would be happier if Wike joins APC.

Some chapters were cautious. In Osun, spokesman Kola Olabisi said the decision is beyond the state and rests with the national leadership. Delta Chairman Solomon Arenyeka said the state is awaiting the position of the national leadership. Sokoto Chairman Haruna Adiya said the state has no member in the coalition. Niger spokesman Musa Sarkin-Kaji said the party has no formal relationship with Wike.

In Bayelsa, chieftain Doubara Joseph said if Wike believes in Tinubu, he should join APC.

Wike has maintained that the Rainbow Coalition is not an APC structure but a platform specifically for Tinubu's re-election, and that it does not stop other parties from contesting other elections.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister said his position is consistent with the arrangement before the 2023 election when he and other G5 members supported Tinubu without joining APC.

He argued that politics is local and actors should be allowed to determine alliances at state level.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, said there is no rainbow coalition in Ebonyi State. "If Wike has candidates here, he has not told me. There is no rainbow coalition in Ebonyi State," he said.

In Abia, PDP Deputy Governorship candidate Abraham Amah said Wike remains a PDP member and national leader, describing APC's invitation as political courting.