A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction has criticised the All Progressives Congress Governors’ Forum over its remarks about the rainbow coalition led by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in Rivers state.
On Monday, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) said it
won’t endorse any alliance or political arrangements that could undermine
Tinubu’s re-election bid or the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.
The rainbow coalition is a cross-party alliance supporting
President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
In January, Wike, a PDP member, said the coalition is a
shift from party politics to a collective political movement focused on
advancing the state’s interests.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jungudo Mohammed, the
national publicity secretary of the PDP faction backed by Wike, said the APC
governor’s statement was driven by their fear of the minister’s political
influence.
Mohammed said the APC governors had initially interpreted
Wike’s support for Tinubu as an endorsement of the APC, but have now realised
that the minister could back the president while retaining his political
identity and relationships within the PDP.
The PDP spokesperson faulted the APC governors for opposing
Wike’s ability to support candidates in governorship and legislative elections
who may challenge APC candidates in 2027.
“The APC Governors’ Forum should understand that Wike is not
their problem; their problem is their poor governance and failure to meet the
expectations of their people,” the statement reads.
“Their opposition to Wike’s support is driven by fear. The
fear that their poor records of performance will be exposed at the polls. Wike
has every constitutional and democratic right to decide whom he supports
politically.”
Mohammed said Wike’s support for Tinubu did not amount to
abandoning the PDP or surrendering political space to the APC.
He said the PDP’s political stabilisation from its crisis
and successful fielding of candidates capable of challenging the APC in the
2027 elections had heightened anxiety within the ruling party.
“If they have truly performed and retained the confidence of
their people, they should welcome a contest and allow the electorate to
decide,” he said
“It is therefore politically irrational for anyone claiming
to support the President to reject a political leader of Wike’s stature and the
votes and mobilisation capacity he can bring to the President’s campaign.”
Mohammed urged the APC governors to focus on governance,
accountability and performance rather than trying to determine whom Wike should
support.
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